What If
by emmapetran0990
Summary: PART OF MY CROSSOVER COLLECTION. What if Katherine had told Damon she never loved him before she left Mystic Falls in 1864? How would his life with Emma have been different? D/OC Rated M for Mature
1. You And I Tonight

**I was inspired by True Blood a few days ago so here is a twist on my Blood Queen story with a dash of True Blood. Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries or True Blood, only Emma.**

* * *

The moonlight shone brightly over the trees as Katherine looked over the bodies of the Salvatore brothers. They were both dead, killed by their father with a shotgun. As Katherine rose from the ground, she was met by George Lockwood.

"The carriage awaits, Miss Katherine."

"Here is the moonstone as promised," Katherine said, handing George the small rock. "Well, are you coming?"

"Forgive me, but you are not the only vampire I made a deal with."

"What nonsense do you speak of?" Katherine asked as she turned to see Emma sitting next to Damon, stroking his face. "What have you done, George? She is supposed to be in the tomb!"

"Oh, Katerina, how foolish of you," said Emma, appearing in front of Katherine. "Did you really think a werewolf would make himself an enemy of the oldest vampire in existence? You can go now, George. Your assistance is no longer required." Before Katherine could run, Emma grabbed her by the arm and began to compel her, "You will not run. You will do exactly as I say when I say it."

"Please, Emma. No."

"You will wait for the Salvatore's to awaken and then you will tell them the truth."

"I never fed Damon my blood. He's dead, Emma."

"Foolish child. I fed Damon my own blood right before he passed on. Now you are going to tell the truth, Katherine. Do you understand me?"

"Yes."

"Good. And once that piece of business has been taken care of, feel free to run. You can even take care of Stefan if you wish."

It was several hours before Damon woke up at the quarry. He looked around, confused, but was met by the kind gaze of Emma. He noticed a large lapis lazuli ring on his finger.

"That is a gift," Emma said. "I had Emily make it for you. When you turn, you should never take it off. It will protect you from the sun."

"What about Katherine?" Emma's heart broke a little at Damon's devotion to Katherine. She was nothing but cruel and spiteful.

"She is here. She has something she wants to tell you. I should go tend to your brother. I will be by the falls if you should need me."

Emma waited a long time for Damon to come to her. The sun set above the horizon when she heard loud footsteps behind her.

"You're noisy for a vampire. We'll have to work on that," Emma said, turning around. However, the angry expression she saw on Damon's face was opposite to the one she expected. "What's the matter? Is something wrong?"

"The question should be is anything right? Katherine never loved me and my own brother forced me to turn."

"I don't understand. You were going to let yourself die? Not complete the transition?"

"What would have been the point? I have nothing to look forward to." With those words, Emma broke and fell to the floor, her brown hair, covering her bloody tears. Surprised, Damon kneeled beside her and tipped her face to his. "You're bleeding."

"No, I'm crying. There's a difference. As a vampire, I can't make tears anymore," Emma sobbed as she tried to wipe the blood away. "I hate feeling like this. For three thousand years, I felt no emotion. Until I met you. But your heart belonged to that witch. You feel it, don't you? How could you not? The blood in you. It is mine and it carries my love for you. That woman never loved you, but I did. I loved you so much I gave you a part of myself. I became your maker. Do you know what that even means? It's a bond that is more sacred than marriage, than any human tie. And then you say to me that you have nothing left to live for. Do you even know what that does to me?" More heart wrenching sobs left Emma's body.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know. I'm such a fool. That is why I'm going to meet the sun tomorrow."

"What? No!"

"I'm the cause of your heartache. You'll be better off."

"No, I won't. I need you! I love you! More than I've ever loved anyone. If you leave me, I'll die." It was in that moment that Damon felt the devastating beauty of Emma's love for him. For too long, he'd denied his feelings for Emma, believing Katherine was the one for him. What an idiot he had been.

As his crystal blue eyes met her brown ones, swirling with red tears, his lips melded against hers. Their first kiss and it was nothing but perfect. It wasn't one of those romantic kisses you saw in the movies. It was full of passion and heat. It was gentle yet rough. It was what they both craved for. Damon pulled Emma closer to him, his hands around her waist, as the kiss deepened. In a swirling flash, Emma had moved them both to Damon's bedroom at the Salvatore Manor and they fell onto the bed.

"Don't break me," Damon murmured as the couple both removed each other's clothes.

"Never. I love you," Emma said as she rolled on top of Damon, straddling his hips. Damon tried to sit up, but Emma used her strength to push him back down.

"I didn't know that you were into dominance, Miss Emma."

"There's a lot of things you don't know about me, but I'm hoping to rectify that. Now that you're a vampire, I don't have to play the part of the good little human."

Smirking, Damon rolled Emma onto her back and kissed her neck. For a vampire, it was one of the most sensitive areas of the body and Damon's new lover moaned in response.

"Tell me you want me," Damon groaned as his fangs grazed over Emma's neck and her hips rocked against his.

"I want you. I always want you," Emma murmured. "Please, Damon."

Giving in to the scent of Emma's addicting blood, his fangs sank into her neck. Emma became more and more vocal with each pull and finally gave into her needs as well, latching onto Damon's neck. It was at the height of their blood lust that Damon entered her and they both left each other's necks at the sensation of filling each other so completely. Their gentle rocking soon grew into sharp, sinful thrusts. Moans, groans, and grunts filled the room as they reached the fever pitch of their passion. Release claimed them both at the same exact moment and they collapsed on the bed, letting the afterglow of pleasure wash over them.

"I'll love you forever," Damon whispered when he pulled out of her.

"I love you too. For the rest of my eternity."

"You're all I'll ever need. Just promise me something?"

"Anything."

"Never leave me."

"That I can most certainly promise."


	2. Blow

It had been two years since vampires had come out of the coffin, as they laughingly put it. Emma had disapproved of exposing the race to the scrunity of the public, but her Original "brothers" and "sisters" had overruled her. She may be the queen but all decisions for the future of the race where agreed upon by the council. The Authority. That is the way it had been for centuries. After the announcement of the vampire race to the world and the effectiveness of TruBlood, Emma left the governing of vampires to the Authority, keeping her title of Queen in name only. Two years. For Emma that was nothing but a blink of an eye, a most enjoyable blink of an eye. She had never felt so free, so liberated. She could do as she pleased. However, before she left she formed the governmental system all vampires would follow after The Great Revelation. The Authority oversaw all vampires and regardless of age they must respect the Authority. Magisters served as judges over entire continents. The States were divided into kingdoms and queendoms, ruled by a king, queen, or both. States were subdivided into areas each ruled by a vampire sheriff. Emma's husband, Damon, ruled over area three of Virginia, which included the towns of Richmond and Mystic Falls. Many of the kings and queens came to Emma for advice over ruling and she gained the moniker, The Supreme Queen. Queen of the Vampire Kings and Queens. Because of her power, Emma was also regarded as Lilith, the first vampire as described in the Vampire Bible, the Original Testament. It tells the story that before Adam and Eve there was Lilith, a vampire made in God's image. Emma had neither denied nor admitted she was an incarnation of Lilith. Even though she didn't play an active role in vampire politics, Emma was still highly respected and her desires were often fulfilled…even by the Authority.

Currently, Emma was out visiting the Queen of Virginia, Rose-Marie Krentz, while Damon tended to his bar, Blood Desire, in Richmond. He hadn't seen his brother for a long time and was surprised when he saw his progeny, Caroline, speaking with Stefan and his date.

"Stefan. Haven't seen you in a while," Caroline deadpanned.

"I'm mainstreaming."

"Good for you. Who's the doll?"

"Caroline, this is Elena. Elena, this is Caroline."

"Pleased to meet you."

"Can I see your ID?"

"Oh. Sure. How funny. Who'd have thought? Getting carded at a vampire bar," Elena smiled as she handed Caroline a white card.

"I can no longer tell human ages. We must be careful we serve no minors…in any capacity. Twenty-five, huh? How sweet it is," said Caroline as she handed the human back her card and the couple left.

"This feels a little bit like what a vampire bar would look like if it were a…a ride at Disney World," said Elena.

"Well, don't get too comfortable. It tends to get more authentic as the night wears on." After a few minutes, Elena's eyes were drawn to Damon, sitting on a throne in the middle of the bar.

"Who's that?" Elena asked.

"Oh, you noticed him, did you?"

"No, it's not like that. I just…"

"Everyone does. That's Damon. He's my brother and the Sheriff of this area. He's only about 170 years old, but he could take on every vampire in this bar without even breaking a sweat."

"And why's that?"

"Just look. She's here." Suddenly, Emma arrived, her brown hair pulled into soft curls and her body poured into an evocative white and red dress. Taking in her scent, Damon stood up and went over to the beautiful vampire. "That's Emma. Damon's bonded. His wife and the Supreme Queen of the Vampires. She's the oldest thing in this bar. They say she's the original vampire, but I think it's just a rumor she started. Damon and Emma exchange blood every night, which makes Damon very powerful for his age. He could take on a thousand year old vampire easily."

Meanwhile, Damon and Emma were dancing to the heady beat of the club, speaking lowly so none of the other vampires could hear them.

"They're talking about us," Emma whispered.

"Let them. I have no desire to speak to Stefan right now."

"Well, then what do you desire?"

"I desire you, my love. You left me all alone tonight. I think you need to be punished a little."

"Sounds tasty, but you know I had to yield to the Queen's command. She needed advice."

"I take it she hasn't changed much?"

"No. Still concerned with material things as usual. She did tell me of a quite troublesome problem, though."

"What is it?" Damon asked, sensing the anxiety in their bond.

"Elijah. He's gone missing, Damon."

"That's unlike him."

"It troubles me greatly."

"We can search for him if that is your wish," said Damon as he walked with Emma back to his throne and pulled her into his lap.

"The girl. The one with your brother. She is special. She has a gift."

"You've sensed her soul already? From such a distance?"

"She possesses the gift of telepathy. I want to bring her with me to Columbia to search for Elijah."

"She is Stefan's. I will have to ask permission."

"And if he says no?"

"Well, then we can always take her by force." Emma smiled and kissed Damon.

At Elena and Stefan's table, the couple was still talking about Emma and Damon.

"It seems they care about each other very much," Elena surmised.

"You have no idea. Emma turned him. She'd do anything for him," said Stefan as Damon looked in their direction. "Uh oh."

"Don't say 'uh-oh.' Vampires are not supposed to say 'uh-oh.'"

"It's Damon. He's scanned you twice. He's going to summon us."

"He can do that?"

"Yeah." Damon raised his right hand and motioned for Stefan. Stefan and Elena left their table to join Damon, Emma, and Caroline who was standing next to her maker.

"Brother, it's been a while," Damon greeted.

"Yes, well…I've been…"

"Mainstreaming. We heard," said Emma, eyeing Elena. "I see that is going well for you."

"Yes. Uh, this is my friend…"

"Elena Gilbert," Damon finished.

"How do you know my name?"

"I never forget a pretty face," Caroline said. "You're in my vault."

"It's nice to meet you."

"Well, aren't you sweet," said Damon, unmoved.

"Not really."

"Szeretem ezt, Emmalyne. Ő tapló. _(I like her. She has spunk.)_," Damon muttered to Emma.

"Kérdezd meg tőle. _(I know. Ask him.)_," Emma replied back in Hungarian.

"So, Stefan. Are you quite attached to your friend?"

"She is mine!" Stefan argued.

"What a pity. For her, I mean."

"Elena, what do you say us girls get some drinks? I'm starving," said Emma as she escorted Elena away from Damon and Stefan to the bar.

"You and I have some catching up to do. It's been too long," said Damon.

"Yes," said Stefan hesitantly.

"Don't be so tense, brother. I only have one thing to ask of you. The Sheriff of Area 1 in South Carolina has gone missing. Have you heard about that?"

"No, I hadn't, but I know the vampire you speak of. His name is Elijah, correct?"

"Indeed. And it goes without saying that he needs to be found which is where your girl comes in. You see, I know her little secret. She can read minds. She's yours and I'm asking your permission to take her to Columbia."

"No. You can do whatever you want with me, but I'm not putting her in this position. I cannot and will not allow her to be brought into these matters."

"I only asked your permission out of respect. If I want her, I can simply take her. Is that your final answer?"

"It is."

"Poorly played, Stefan. Poorly played."

It was several days before Damon and Emma met Elena again. At Blood Desire, Damon was sitting in a chair in the bar, Emma on his lap, as he kissed her neck.

"You're insatiable," Emma groaned.

"I know. You created a monster, my dear."

"But you're _my_ monster." Suddenly, the back door to the bar was slammed open and Caroline greeted Stefan in a flash.

"What do you want?" she asked harshly. She then noticed he was carrying Elena. "What happened? Oh yum. She's bleeding."

"Where is Damon?" Stefan ordered. "The bar. But be warned. He and Emma are having a little playtime." Stefan burst into the main bar.

"This is on your account," Stefan accused as he laid Elena down on the leather sofa, her chest melting into the cool material.

"I'll call Dr. Ludwig," said Emma, crawling off Damon's lap and walking to the phone behind the bar.

"What has happened to you?" Damon asked Elena, kneeling next to her. Elena glared at him, so incensed she could barely speak.

"I am a message to you," she said almost in a whisper. "This woman in the woods made Stefan's car stop and maybe even made us argue. She said she wanted to send you a message and I turned in time to keep her from getting my face, but she got my back and then she left."

"Damon, her cuts are not deep. What's wrong with her?" Emma asked, hanging up the phone and approaching the trio. The doctor walked through the doors in that moment and began to tend to Elena.

"What kind of doctor are you?" Elena asked.

"The healing kind. I'm Doctor Ludwig. What's your…" Elena screamed when the doctor touched her back.

"I'm Elena Gilbert. Am I dying?"

"Yes."

"No. She cannot die. You will save her," said Stefan.

"Back off, vampire. Let me do my job."

"You'll have to forgive Stefan, Mary. He's abnormally attached to this human," Emma spat.

"Well, we don't have a lot of choices. She's been poisoned. Have you ever heard of Komodo dragons? Their mouths are teeming with bacteria. Well, maenad wounds have the same toxic level. After a dragon has bitten you, the creature tracks you for hours, waiting for the bacteria to kill you. For maenads, the delayed death adds to the fun. For Komodo dragons, who knows? I can dose the exterior wounds. But your bloodstream has been compromised and your blood must be removed and replaced. That is a job for the vampires. If only one of you takes the poisoned blood, that one will be pretty miserable. It's the element of magic that the maenad imparts. The Komodo dragon bite would be no problem for you guys. So when I'm finished, each of you take a turn, removing just a little. Then we'll give her a transfusion."

"Of human blood," Elena said.

"If Damon can pull some strings and get the human blood at least half the transfusion can be synthetic," Dr. Ludwig added.

"I can get the blood. What's your type?"

"O positive."

"That shouldn't be a problem. Start with my blood first, Mary. It's more potent," said Emma.

"I haven't heard an apology from you yet," Elena said to Damon.

"I'm sorry that the maenad picked on you."

"Not enough."

"Angelic Elena, I am prostrate that the wicked, evil maenad violated you in an attempt to deliver a message to me," said Damon, rolling his eyes, as he walked into his office with Stefan. "Isobel, Caroline." Quickly, Caroline and a raven-haired female vampire entered the room. "Search the woods around highway 71."

"She can do it," said Caroline. "I'm wearing my favorite pumps."

"Most, gyermek. _(Now, child)_," Damon ordered. Caroline rolled her eyes and left with Isobel. "She is extremely lazy. But loyal. Being a good maker is very rewarding. You should try it sometime, little bro."

"I have to get back to Elena."

"Oh, relax. Dr. Ludwig treated one of Caroline's humans when it was mauled by a werewolf. Lost an eye, but otherwise he's fine." Several minutes later, Caroline and Isobel walked back into the bar. Caroline's shoes were filthy and she had a few leaves in her hair.

"The area has been scanned," Caroline drawled.

"Tracks were human, but the smell was distinctly animal."

"A filthy one," Caroline added.

"Send an alert through the appropriate channels. Find out what the neighbors know. And Caroline. Those were great pumps," Damon said.

"I wanna thank you for your hospitality, brother, and for saving Elena's life."

"I'm sure there's a way she can repay me," Damon smirked.

It was several hours before Elena woke up, fully healed. Caroline was watching over her.

"You're awake," Caroline said. "It would have been a pity to lose you before we'd gotten a chance to get some good out of you. There are many other humans associated with us the maenad could have picked and those humans are far more expendable."

"Thanks for the warm fuzzies, Caroline," Elena retorted. "I don't know how I'll be able to thank you all for helping me."

"Well, there is one thing," said Emma, entering the room with Damon. Emma quickly explained the situation to Elena about the missing South Carolina sheriff.

"So you want me to go to Columbia to help you look for this missing vampire."

"No. You nearly died last night. You are not going to Columbia," said Stefan.

"Stefan, I can make up my own mind."

"I will pay all of your expenses," Damon said, sitting down in his office chair.

"And I want five thousand dollars. I've missed a lot of work and I need a driveway."

"Your human is getting cocky."

"She will take ten thousand and I will escort her," Stefan negotiated.

"I don't think so. No."

"Yes. Ten thousand and Stefan comes with me or it's a deal breaker."

"You surprise me, child," said Emma. "That's a rare quality in a breather. You need to leave immediately."

"I will make the travel arrangements," said Stefan.

"Why a maenad?" Elena asked, changing the subject. "Weren't maenads just women driven mad by the god Bacchus?"

"The god entered some women so completely that they became immortal or very close to it. Bacchus was the god of the grape, of course, so bars are very interesting to maenads. In fact, so interesting that they don't like other creatures of the darkness becoming involved," Emma explained. "Maenads consider that the violence sparked by the consumption of alcohol belongs to them: that's what they feed off now that no one formally worships their god. And they are attracted to pride."

"We had only heard rumors one was in the area until Stefan brought you in," Damon added.

"So what was she warning you of? What does she want?"

"Tribute we think," Caroline answered.

"What's she gonna do if you don't play her tribute?"

"Send her madness," said Isobel, worried.

"Into the bar?"

"Or into one of us," Emma answered. "It has happened. The Halloween massacre of 1876 in St. Petersburg. I was there. It took twenty of us to clean it up. And we had to stake Gregory. Poor Gregory. It took all of us Originals to do that. The maenad Phryne received tribute after that, you can be sure."

"I guess maenads are pretty hard to kill," Stefan surmised.

"Oh yes. Oh yes," Damon affirmed.


	3. Running Up That Hill

"You were supposed to call me when you arrived in Columbia," Damon scolded as he walked into his kitchen in only a pair of sweatpants.

"We were ambushed at the airport," Stefan replied through his cellphone.

"By whom?"

"You know exactly by whom, Damon. The Fellowship of the Sun. Why didn't you tell me they were involved?"

"I didn't know for sure. Now, I do." Damon came up behind Emma, wearing only a silky blue robe. She was sitting on a stool at the kitchen island, reading a magazine. Damon greeted her with a kiss on the top of the head.

"You could've shared your suspicions with me."

"I could've, but I didn't. You should remember that even though I am your brother, I am your Sheriff first and foremost, Stefan. We are not equals. And if that displeases you, take it up with the magister or the queen." Damon ended the call.

"Is something wrong?" Emma asked as Damon hugged her from behind.

"A few complications. The Fellowship is involved. I have a feeling Stefan is going to fuck this up. We should leave tonight for Columbia and as much as I love you in sexy lingerie, I don't think its appropriate clothing for the airport."

A few hours later, Emma and Damon arrived at Hotel Carmilla, a chain of hotels that attended specifically to vampires. Emma had sought a meeting with Stefan to further explain the situation while Damon met with the vampires under Elijah's command.

"I admire you, Stefan. It takes a real vampire to admit he cannot protect his human," Emma taunted in the hotel bar.

"And it takes a true monster to not care about anyone or anything other than herself."

"I care about others."

"You care about Elijah. You have no obligations to Columbia or South Carolina. This is personal for you. Why?"

"I hope you enjoy your blood substitute, which is costing me forty-five dollars," Emma said, redirecting the conversation.

"I have no intention of drinking it. I just want you to pay for it."

"Mature."

"Answer the question. Why this allegiance to Elijah?"

"He's much beloved by his subjects."

"Only kings and queens have subjects, Emma, not sheriffs."

"Elijah could have been king of South Carolina had he wanted. He could have been king of any vampire territory anywhere. He is very old and very powerful. There are none above him in the new world."

"Well, if he's so powerful, how could they abduct him?"

"That is what worries me. If one such as he can be taken by humans, then none of us are safe."

"What can I give you to release Elena from her agreement?"

"Nothing. Since you like humans so much, I think you would want to protect them. The vampires here, they're like cowboys. If they don't get Elijah back, they'll want justice. They'll start attacking people."

"Open aggression against humans? That's insane.

"Well, it's the South," said Emma as her phone vibrated. Emma read the text message from Damon before turning back to Stefan. "Gather your human. Tatia and Trevor are ready to see us. Damon's meeting us there."

A half hour later, Trevor was arguing with Tatia for bringing humans into their affairs at Elijah's nest.

"You should have told me Damon hired a fucking human, Tatia."

"Now, wait just a minute," Elena interrupted.

"Respect her," Stefan added.

"Thank you."

"I couldn't tell you, Trevor. You've been off on your own for days," Tatia snapped. Emma rolled her eyes as Damon handed her a drink. Young vampires. No priorities whatsoever.

"Are you certain Elijah was abducted by the Fellowship of the Sun?" Damon asked.

"Yes," said Trevor as Tatia responded with a "No."

"They're the only ones with the organization and manpower," Trevor further elaborated.

"But they're amateurs. It doesn't make any sense. This is Elijah we're talking about. He's over three thousand years old."

"Old don't make you smart."

"Besides, there's no proof."

"If they've got him, I'll hear it. That's my job," said Elena.

"There's no reason to wait. We need to take these fanatics down. Full-out attack. Exterminate them like the vermin they are, leave no trace," Trevor argued.

"Hmm, vampire-hating church annihilated. Wonder who did it? Fucking brilliant!" Tatia yelled.

"I doubt the King of South Carolina would approve the destruction of our international political agenda," said Damon.

"Fuck that. The Great Revelation is the biggest mistake we ever made."

"Don't use Elijah to make your own little power play," Tatia warned Trevor.

"You're completely incompetent!" Emma finally yelled, her patience snapping. "What's happened to Elijah that he surrounds himself with clowns?"

"We invited you as a courtesy," Tatia said. "This is not your territory. You have no voice here." In a flash, Emma picked Tatia up by the throat, her fangs bared.

"I have no voice! Mind your tongue! Has it been so long that vampires no longer remember Emmalyne the Bloody! I use to behead children like you for sport! I formed the Authority and I will be respected!"

"Emma. I believe you've made your point," Damon said, attempting to defuse the situation.

"I suggest you form a plan before I eat you all for breakfast," said Emma, dropping Tatia and returning to Damon.

"I have a plan," said Trevor.

"It's not a plan. It's a movie," Tatia complained.

"It's not a movie. It's a war."

"Idióták," Emma cursed.

"We take them all out at once. Pre-emptive strike."

"Of course, so the federal government can bomb us back to the Middle Ages."

"Things were better then."

"Then go to Romania and live in a cave, you ranchero poser." Furious, Emma threw a glass vase into the wall.

"Elijah has protected you, made you rich, and you stand here spitting and scratching like infants!" she yelled.

"Don't any of you care that there's a traitor in your midst?" Stefan asked.

"No," Trevor replied.

"Impossible," Tatia added.

"Somebody tried to kidnap me from the airport."

"You were the only ones that knew Elena was coming," Stefan elaborated.

"Explain," Damon ordered.

"Unless it was you," Trevor suggested to Tatia.

"Unless it was you," Tatia spat back.

"Look, if you're going to argue anymore, I'll either fall asleep or start screaming so this is what we're gonna do. I will infiltrate the Fellowship of the Sun," Elena resolved.

"Absolutely not," Stefan said.

"Let her speak," Emma interrupted.

"Since Stefan compelled the kidnapper, no one knows who I am. I'll pretend to join the church and check out their thoughts. It'll only take a little while. It's simple."

"Waste of time when we could drink them all. I want no part of this." Trevor then left.

"There's no easier way to find out if they're involved," Tatia said.

"If it leads us to Elijah, we'll do it. The decision is made," Damon agreed.

"A few words," Stefan said to his brother and they walked around the corner. "You knew it would come to this. She was just clawed and poisoned by a maenad we can't find, and now you're playing with her life."

"It's no game to me."

"All this for a colleague? For the Sheriff of Area One? Why?"

After a beat and his better judgment, Damon finally spoke, "Are you familiar with the rumor floating around that Emma is the Original Vampire?"

"Yes."

"Not a word of it's true."

"I thought as much. What does this have to do with anything?"

"Elijah is Emma's maker. You understand now, brother?"


	4. Keep Me Breathing

"I was beginning to think you weren't going to accept my invitation," said Emma, swirling her drink at the bar as she sensed a presence behind her, "Katherine."

"For a vampire, you're a terrible liar."

"I considered booking you in the room adjoining theirs, but I thought that might be a bit…over the top."

"Why am I here, Emma?"

"We want the same thing, you and I. Okay, Stefan has something that I want, and he's in the way."

"His human?"

"No, she's something more than human."

"What is she?"

"That I do not know, but whatever she is… he loves her. I am in need of her services and if I know Stefan, he's going to screw up my plan. I want you to keep him occupied for a while."

"What makes you think I'd want him back? That I'd even take him?"

"Because you didn't come all this way just to see me."

"I haven't seen Stefan Salvatore in over seventy years. Surely you can't think I have any pull over him whatsoever."

"I haven't seen my maker for much longer than that, and yet I am still loyal to him. Fiercely loyal."

Meanwhile, Tatia and Damon were watching the perimeter of the Fellowship of the Sun's headquarters.

"You have to be joking me," Damon scoffed. "This is the Fellowship of the Sun? That's their army? Scared little boys with bibles and crossbows. If Emma saw this, she'd cry…and laugh."

"Don't underestimate them. Support for their movement is growing. Their leadership camps are overflowing with self-righteous extremists, all willing and ready to die for their cause," Tatia warned.

"That can be arranged quite easily."

"Not until we know for sure the Fellowship has Elijah."

"What about your boy, Mark, and Elena? They've been in there too long."

"There's no sign of alarm. And if Mark were in serious danger, I would know it. I felt something earlier, but it passed. He's okay now."

"Tell me. What is it that you find so fulfilling about human companionship?"

"They feel much more strongly than we do. Everything is urgent, exciting. Maybe because their lives are so temporary."

"Yes, they certainly don't keep well. Don't you find the prospect of him growing old, sickly, crippled, somewhat, repulsive?"

"No. I find it curious. Like a science project. How does your brother feel about your interest in Elena?"

"I'm not interested in Elena. And even less in how Stefan feels. My only interest is in fulfilling Emma's wishes, which are to find Elijah."

"Of course," Tatia smirked.

"Don't look at me like that. Do you really believe these fools could overpower a vampire such as Elijah and hold him for weeks?"

"Trevor is sure of it. But I have known Elijah a long time. It's hard to imagine anything could overpower him."

"Not anything human," Damon mused. "I don't like this waiting. Let's go back to the hotel. Emma's calling me. Trevor's with her and I sense she's reaching her breaking point."

After Damon and Tatia arrived at the hotel, they met with the other two vampires and walked to their hotel rooms.

"I just don't understand why they haven't contacted us yet," said Emma.

"Maybe the little rats run off. Joined the Fellowship themselves," Trevor suggested.

"Careful. Mark is mine."

"Oh, please. If you cared about him so much, we'd have been in that church hours ago."

"With no plan, no exit strategy. That's why you'll never be sheriff, Trevor. You don't think."

"And you're too chicken shit to act. That's why we been getting Elijah's coffee for the last forty years," said Trevor before turning to Emma. "And you, Fellowship has your maker and your telepath, and still you do nothing."

"Are you questioning my loyalty, Trevor?"

"Just trying to return Elijah to his rightful position."

"Really? 'Cause I think maybe you have another agenda. Maybe you think starting a war with the Fellowship will distract us from the truth… that you're so starved for power, you murdered Elijah for his title."

"Emma," Damon warned.

"That is a lie. How dare you accuse me!"

"Emma, we don't know this," said Tatia. "There's no proof."

"Not yet. But I will find it. And when I do, there will be no mercy. In the meantime, you two can stand here and quibble over his position, or run into that church and kill them all. I no longer care. If Elijah is gone, nothing will bring back what I have lost." Emma walked into her hotel room, shrugging off her jacket. She moved to the window that overlooked the dark skyline of Columbia and rested her head against the glass. "I feel like I'm going crazy."

"You're not. You're just worried. We all are," said Damon. His arms wrapping around her from behind, Damon pulled Emma into him and she leaned her head back on his shoulder.

After Damon littered Emma's shoulder with kisses, she turned around to face her husband's blue eyes. As she smiled, she seized his lips in an intense, fiery kiss. He moaned against her and caressed her cheeks with his hands. Minutes passed before they separated. Damon kissed her neck frantically and unzipped her dress. Emma repaid the gesture two-fold and cast his leather jacket on the floor. Impatient, Damon moved her to the bed, stroking her skin. Emma sighed and felt his hard erection pressing against her. She quickly removed his shirt after Damon stripped her of her dress. Departing her lips, he dragged kisses down her jaw to her ear and then to her throat to the top of her breasts. His hands flew to her undergarments.

Breathless as his touch scorched her to the marrow of her bones, Emma cried with desire as the bonds holding back her bloodlust shattered. Her fangs elongated and on instinct, they dove into Damon's throat. Growls and groans ripped through the room as she fed. Damon ripped her bra, panties, and his pants in half and hammered into her. As Emma drew away from his blood, she screamed in pleasure and jerked Damon to her for a sizzling kiss. Blood stained their lips and the sheets, but neither of them cared. As their kisses became more intense and unrelenting, release claimed them.

"God. It doesn't matter how many times I have you, I still want more of you," gasped Damon.

"Well, you aren't too bad yourself," Emma replied as the couple collapsed on the bed and Damon stroked her hair. Suddenly, Emma felt a pang in her chest and sat up immediately.

"What is it?"

"Elijah. He's in the church. He's calling me. I must go. Bring the others." And with that, Emma pulled on some clothes and left the hotel in a flash of vampire speed. It wasn't long before she arrived at the church. Elijah was in the basement, two bodies at his feet. One she didn't recognize. He was dead. The other was Mark. He was unconscious.

"Elijah," Emma muttered as she kneeled.

"You were a fool for sending humans after me," Elijah said stoically.

"I had no other choice. These savages. They seek to destroy you."

"I'm aware of what they've planned. This one betrayed you," said Elijah, pointing to Mark. "I sent the human girl away."

"How long has it been since you've fed?"

"I require very little blood anymore," said Elijah as alarms began to ring. "Go."

"I'm not leaving your side."

"Come then. We must make sure no blood is spilled."

In the chapel of the church, Elena was being held hostage when Stefan and Damon entered the room.

"Elena!" Stefan yelled.

"One more step, vampire, and the girl dies," said Steve Newlin, the leader of the Fellowship, pointing a gun at Elena.

"If you shoot her, everybody here will die! Let her go now."

"Honestly, what do they see in you?" said the human. Damon went straight for Elena's captor, taking him by the throat and pushing him on the floor.

"Don't kill him!" Elena yelled.

"Go ahead. Murder us. Murder us before God. We are willing to die," Steve said as a large number of vampires entered the room.

"Steve Newlin!" Trevor yelled. "You have pushed us too far. You expect us to sit on our thumbs while you round up your men to come lynch us? We'll kill you first. Same way we did your father."

"Murderer!" Steve yelled.

"Destroy them. All of them," said Trevor, drawing his fangs. All the vampires zoomed through the room, grabbing humans to kill.

"Enough!" Elijah yelled. All the vampires stopped and looked up to see Elijah standing on one of the rafters, Emma kneeling at his side. "You came for me I assume. Underling."

"Yes, Sheriff," Trevor groaned.

"These people have not harmed me. You see, we can coexist. Mr. Newlin, I do not wish to create bloodshed when none is called for. Help me set an example. If we leave you in peace, will you do the same?"

"I will not negotiate with subhumans! Kill me. Do it. Jesus will protect me." Emma rolled her eyes as she and Elijah stepped off the rafter and landed on the ground gracefully.

"Emma and I are actually older than your Jesus. I wish I could have known him, but I missed it."

"He wasn't that much fun, Elijah. No sense of humor," Emma retorted.

"Good people, who of you is willing to die for this man's madness?" Elijah asked the members of the Fellowship. The room was silent. "That's what I thought. Stand down, everyone. People, go home. It's over now."

"Please don't leave me," said Steve as people began to shuffle out of the church.

"I daresay my faith in humankind is stronger than yours. Come, my children."

"Sir, after what these humans have done to you…" Trevor said.

"I said come, Trevor."


	5. Always

After all the Columbia vampires left the Fellowship, a party was held at Elijah's home. As Emma walked away from the drink cart, she was cornered in a hallway by Stefan.

"I don't like being touched," said Emma to Stefan as she removed his hand from her arm.

"Believe me, I do not like touching you. Your contact with Elena will cease from this moment."

"That's hardly your decision."

"Calling in my maker is feeble and desperate even for you."

"Are you picking a fight? I'd like to see you try." Emma laughed and then walked away to talk with her maker. Suddenly, the party was interrupted by Tatia who brought Mark to Elijah.

"This is the one who betrayed us," Tatia said, holding back her tears.

"Mark," Elijah said. "He's your human, is he not?" Tatia nodded. "Do you love him?"

"I… I thought I did."

"It appears you love him still."

"I do. I'm sorry. But you are my sheriff. Do with him as you please."

"You are free to go," said Elijah to the human.

"What?" Trevor growled.

"The human is free to go. And do not return. I fear it is not safe for you here."

"This is a travesty," Trevor commented.

"This is my verdict. Emma, escort them out. Make sure he leaves unharmed."

"Yes, Elijah."

"Thank you. Thank you, Sheriff," said Tatia before leaving with Emma and her human. A few minutes later, Emma returned and spoke privately with her maker.

"Mark's been dispatched," Emma reported. "I told him not to stop driving until he reached the Mexican border. I've arranged for an AB-negative human for you. Extremely rare."

"Thank you. I'm not hungry."

"You have to feed eventually. I doubt the Fellowship had anything to offer."

"I'm alright, Emmalyne. I believe your husband may be jealous with all the attention you're offering me."

"He's a big boy. He'll get over it."

"They didn't treat me badly. You'd be shocked at how ordinary most of them are."

"They do nothing but fan the flames of hatred for us."

"Let's be honest. We are frightening. After thousands of years, we haven't evolved. We've only grown more brutal, more predatory. I don't see the danger in treating humans as equals. The Fellowship of the Sun arose because we never did so."

"Is that why you wouldn't fight when they took you?"

"I could have killed every last one of them within minutes. And what would that have proven?" As Emma and Elijah continued to speak, Katherine arrived at the party and approached Elena.

"Hello there. I'm Katherine."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Elena."

"Yes. You are what all the fuss is about."

"Excuse me?"

"Aren't you a morsel?"

"I'm sorry. Who are you?"

"Well, we have a mutual friend."

"Stefan?"

"That's right. Funny he never mentioned me. I practically made him what he is today," said Katherine as Stefan entered the room.

"Katherine," he muttered.

"Oh, hello, darling. I was just getting to know your plaything. You always did like to prey on the innocent."

"Stefan, is this your maker?"

"She released me years ago. She no longer has any hold over me."

"I wouldn't say that. We had a marvelous night in your hotel room."

"What?" Elena asked.

"Did you know your boyfriend hit me over the head with a 52-inch plasma television earlier tonight? Everyone says they're so thin and light, but let me tell you, when wielded properly, it's quite a weapon."

"You did?" Elena asked Stefan.

"Katherine, you need to leave."

"I hope he doesn't pull the same shenanigans with you. There's no excuse for domestic violence.

"What she has failed to mention is that she was holding me prisoner."

"We were just catching up. You must have been worried sick, wondering where he was. I admit it. It got a bit heated. But you know how old lovers can get sometimes."

"Do not touch him," Elena spat.

"My, we're feisty too. You're no more than a blood bag. You cannot win this."

"I've already won. Stefan chose me. And yet you still won't give up. Don't you have any shame?"

"Elena, stop."

"I'd listen to Stefan. Run away, little girl. Stefan and I love each other."

"You've gone mad," said Stefan. "Get out."

"Maybe you do love him. Who am I to guess? But he doesn't love you. He never has, and that we both know."

"Take those words back or they shall be your last," said Katherine, unleashing her fangs.

"Go find someone else! You've lost this one!" Katherine pushed Stefan out of the way and was about to bite Elena when Elijah grabbed her by the neck.

"Retract. Your. Fangs. Now." Katherine did as she was ordered. "I neither know nor care who you are. But in this area and certainly in this nest, I am the authority. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sheriff."

"This human has proven herself to be a courageous and loyal friend to our kind. And yet you treat her like a child does a dragonfly, pulling off wings for sport. No wonder they hate us."

"She provoked me."

"And you provoked me. You disrupted the peace in my own home. I could snap you like a twig. Yet I haven't. Now, why is that?"

"It's… your choice."

"Indeed it is. You're an old vampire. I can tell. You've had hundreds of years to better yourself, yet you haven't. You are still a savage, and I fear for all of us, humans and vampires, if this behavior persists," said Elijah before turning to Stefan. "You. You seem to know her."

"Yes, sheriff."

"Escort her from the nest," Elijah said before turning back to Katherine, "I wish you out of my area before dawn."


	6. Skinny Love

The next day, Pearl Zhu, a representative of the American Vampire League and the Authority had summoned Elijah along with his entourage to Hotel Carmilla.

"Do you have any fucking idea of the PR mess you've made? And who fucking has to clean that shit up? Me. Not you, me. I should drain every one of you bastards," Pearl chastised.

"Trevor went after the church on his own. None of us knew anything about it," said Damon.

"Oh, really. Because everyone who met Trevor in the last three hundred years knew he had a kink about slaughtering humans. But you, his nest mates, his sheriff, had no clue."

"And how were we supposed to know that this time he meant it?" Tatia asked.

"Not my problem. Yours, Sheriff."

"Don't talk to him that way," Emma warned.

"Don't talk to me that way. Let's get to the point. How did they manage to abduct you?"

"They would have taken one of us sooner or later. I offered myself."

"Why?"

"Why not?"

"They wanted you to meet the sun and you were willing?"

"What do you think?"

"I think you're out of your mind. And then I hear about a traitor."

"Irrelevant. Only a rumor, I'll take full responsibility."

"You bet you will."

"You cold bitch," Damon muttered.

"Listen, this is a national vampire disaster and nobody at the top has any sympathy for any of you. Sheriff, you fucked up. You're fired."

"I agree. Of course, Tatia should take over. She had no part in my disgrace."

"Elijah, fight back," Tatia said.

"What are you saying? She's a bureaucrat. You don't have to take shit from her!" Emma yelled.

"I'm to blame. I should have contained Trevor the second Elijah went missing," Tatia said.

"Tatia," Elijah warned. "I remove myself from all positions of authority."

"Works for me," Pearl smirked. Emma stood up, prepared to take on the young, smug vampire.

"Emma, nem. _(Don't),_" Damon whispered as he grabbed his wife's arm.

"It doesn't matter, Emmalyne," Elijah added.

"You're lucky I don't send you all to the Magister. Elijah, come to my suite to fill out the forms," said Pearl.

"Soon. First I have something to say. I'm sorry. I apologize for all the harm I've caused, for all our lost ones, human and vampire. I will make amends. I swear it." Emma then realized through her maker-childe bond what Elijah was planning.

"Take it easy. It's just a few signatures," said Pearl as she left with her two vampire guards.

"Nem _(No.)_," said Emma in her native Hungarian tongue, blocking Elijah's way.

"Nézz a szívembe. _(Look in my heart.)_," Elijah replied.

"Meg kell hallgatni rám. _(You have to listen to me.)_"

"Nincs mit mondani _(There's nothing to say.)_"

"Van! _(There is!)_," Emma pushed.

"A tetőn. _(On the roof.)_" Elijah then left, Emma hot on his heels.

"What was that about?" Elena asked.

"You don't want to know," said Damon solemnly as he followed Emma to the roof.

"Three thousand years is enough," said Elijah.

"I can't accept this. It's insanity."

"Our existence is insanity. We don't belong here."

"But we are here."

"It's not right. We're not right."

"You taught me there is no right or wrong, only survival or death."

"I told a lie, as it turns out."

"I will keep you alive by force."

"Even if you could, why would you be so cruel?"

"Elijah, ne csináld. _(Don't do it.)_," Emma cried, bloody tears running down her face.

"Vannak évszázados hit és a szeretet köztünk. _(There are centuries of faith and love between us.)_"

"Kérem. Kérjük, Elijah. _(Please. Please, Elijah.)_"

"My beautiful daughter. Let me go."

"I won't let you die alone."

"Yes, you will. You have much to live for. As your Maker, I command you." Emma felt the tug in her heart to leave the roof.

As she walked away, Damon whispered, "I'll stay with him. As long as it takes." Emma then left.

"It won't take long. Not at my age," said Elijah, removing his daylight ring.

"You know, it wasn't very smart. The Fellowship of the Sun part."

"I know. I thought it might fix everything somehow. But I don't think like a vampire any more. You'll care for her? Emma."

"I always have. You have my word, Elijah. Are you afraid?"

"No. No, I'm full of joy."

"But the pain…"

"I want to burn."

"Well, I'm afraid for you."

"Three thousand years, and I can still be surprised."

"Goodbye, Elijah," Damon muttered as the sun rose and Elijah burned, his ashes floating in the wind. As Damon returned inside the building, he was struck by Emma's pain. He immediately closed his blood bond with Emma a little. He needed to be strong for her.

As he walked inside their room, he saw Emma lying on her side in front of the fireplace, crying silently. His heart ached for her. The loss of one's maker was said to be the greatest torment. Damon knew if Emma ever died on him, he would meet the sun. An existence without one's maker and especially one's bonded was unbearable.

"Hey," Damon said, lying down in front of her and stroking her cheek.

"Hey," Emma hiccupped. Damon pulled her close to him and kissed her forehead. Emma's sobs grew more vocal. "My tears will stain your shirt."

"I don't care. There's many more where they came from. All I care about is easing your pain. You can stain as many of my shirts as you like." Emma sobbed and laughed at the same time. "You know, sometimes things happen for a reason and maybe Elijah was supposed to leave so you could grow stronger. And I know it feels painful now, but I promise you it will get better."

"You have no idea of the pain."

"You're right. I don't. But I can feel your pain. Know that I will always love you."

"I love you too." Damon pulled back slightly to kiss her forehead and he licked her bloody tears away. Emma pulled his lips to hers as Damon's hands slid down her white dress. They briefly separated so he could pull it off. Emma then busied herself with the rest of Damon's clothes.

Once they were rid of their clothes, Damon pushed Emma onto her back and kissed her neck. Even if it was fleeting, Damon would take away the pain by giving her pleasure. His lips moved down her neck to her collarbone and breasts. Emma gave a soft moan of contentment and her hands wove into his hair.

"Feed," Damon whispered as he felt Emma begin to relax. Emma didn't hesitate. Her fangs zeroed in on Damon's carotid artery instantly and she moaned at the taste of his blood. It didn't matter how many times she fed upon him. His taste was better every time. Damon ground against her and he groaned as he felt she was already wet. He moved his hand down to her center and she bucked at his touch. "Damon," she moaned as he slid one finger into her. With a second finger, Emma writhed against his hand and was soon thrown over the cliff of ecstasy. When she separated from Damon's neck, Damon observed her. She was gorgeous, flushed, her hair like a dark halo around her.

"Love me," Emma whispered as she opened her legs to his throbbing cock.

"Forever," Damon muttered before giving her a chaste kiss and thrusting inside of her. They groaned at the swift penetration. Emma's back arched against Damon as he moved inside her. As she met every movement, her heel dug into his back, he pinned her hands to the floor and sank his fangs into her neck. He only took a few sips, just needing to feel more of her presence inside of him.

With a few last thrusts, they lost themselves in each other. As Emma gasped for an unneeded breath, Damon yelled her name in completion. His face found its home in the crook of her neck as her muscles squeezed everything he had. Damon was surprised to feel Emma's hand caressing the skin of his cheek. He pulled away from her neck to look at her.

"Thank you, szerető. _(Thank you, lover)_,"

"Én mindig itt van, a feleségem. _(I will always be here for you, my wife.)_" Emma smiled brightly. There was something about Damon speaking her native tongue that made her ridiculously happy. Damon pulled a white throw from the couch over their bodies and as he stroked her messy curls, Emma fell asleep.


	7. Another Hole In The Head

It was a cold night in Richmond as Emma departed the Queen's mansion. She was surprised when she ran into Stefan.

"What are you doing here? Don't you have a girlfriend to attend to?" Emma asked.

"I'm here to see the queen and that's all you need to know. But since you're here, I have something to say to you. I'd greatly appreciate it if you and Damon stayed away from Elena, Emma."

"And if I don't?"

"I will tell the queen that you're forcing humans to sell vampire blood."

"You wouldn't," said Emma, surprised even though she didn't show it.

"I won't, as long as you never come close to Elena ever again."

"I don't like threats, Stefan."

"Neither do I," said Stefan, stalking off.

The next night, Elena came bursting into the home of the Sheriff of Virginia, Area 3, Damon Salvatore.

"Now I don't remember telling you lavender was my favorite color," said Caroline, coming up the girl.

"I'm in no mood for lesbian weirdness tonight, Caroline. Where's Stefan?"

"I have no idea."

"Then where's Damon?"

"He and Emma are a bit indisposed at the moment."

"Indisposed doing what?" A slight smile pulled at Caroline's lips as she shrugged. "I could take you to them if you like."

"Please."

"Follow me." They walked down a dark hallway and Caroline showed Elena to Emma and Damon's warmly lit bedroom. Moans and screams could be heard from the bathroom as Elena opened the door.

"We really need to get better security, dear," said Emma, naked in the tub.

"Hmm. What brings you to our humble abode, Miss Elena? I hope it's something important. I don't like to be interrupted."

"Stefan's been kidnapped and I think you did it."

"I didn't," Damon huffed as he leaned back against porcelain tub and took a sip from a glass of wine mixed with blood. "Any other theories?"

"I'm still on this one thank you very much. Where were you around 11 o'clock?"

"Here with Emma."

"Doing this? For the last six hours?"

"You seem surprised. Is baby bro not up to snuff?"

"Tell me about Katherine. If you don't have him, she does."

"Solid theory. But given the tenor of your last run in with Miss Pierce, I think its better if I dealt with her instead."

"How do I know you will?"

"Because if Stefan was in fact kidnapped by human or vampire, I am duty bound as sheriff of the area in which he resides to find him."

"Then do it," said Elena, beginning to walk away. "By the way, you owe me $10,000." When Elena left, Damon growled in frustration and reached for his phone. Emma tried to calm him with a back massage.

"Do you remember our previous conversation?" Damon asked a man on the other line. "I asked you for one thing. Bring me my brother. And you said 'Done.' So why wasn't it done?"

"I already told you, Sheriff. By the time we got to the restaurant, he was gone. There was a cop car."

"You failed me. How could you fail me! Find him. Or tomorrow's sunset will be your last."

"Damon," Emma chastised.

"But sunrise is in a couple minutes," said the man on the other line.

"Well, then I recommend you find a day walker you can trust to find him for you. What?" Damon said to Emma after a beat.

"You're losing it."

"How is that helpful, Emma?"

"You need to call the Queen."

"The Queen is the last person we need finding out about this."

"You're not the only one whose fate rests in the balance here."

"And what do you think the Queen will do if I tell her I lost the one vampire who can link her to the dealing of vampire blood. That I have no idea where he is."

"The better question is what do you think she'll do if she finds out from somebody else?" Emma asked as she left the tub and headed for the bedroom.

The next night, while Damon was occupied with a meeting including the Queen of Virginia and the Magister, Emma paid a visit to the dealer who was selling their V.

"A half-off sale on V?" the dealer asked. "Even though the allure of this shit is how exotic and expensive it is?"

"Well then sell it for twice the price. We don't care. Just so long as it's all gone by the time we wake up tomorrow evening."

"Tomorrow?"

"Is there a problem?"

"Hookuh, I can't sell all this shit by tomorrow. I've got a cousin in trouble. She needs—" Suddenly at super speed, Emma pinned the man to the wall.

"I don't know what it is about me that makes people think I want to hear about their problems. Maybe I smile too much, maybe I wear too many bright colors, but please remember, I can rip your throat out if I need to and also know that I'm not a hooker. That was a long, long time ago."

"Alright."

"You pickin' up what I'm putting down?"

"I is."

"Good," said Emma cheerfully. "I'll be back tomorrow to pick up the money."

When Emma returned to Blood Desire, Damon was alone with Elena and Stefan's new progeny, Vicki Donovan. Damon was looking at a coaster with a runic symbol etched on it.

"It stands for Operation Werewolf, some kind of secret Nazi commando force from World War II," said Elena. Suddenly, Emma gave Damon a quizzical look, but Damon sent her a sense of calm in their blood bond.

"You found this branded on a dead man's neck?" Damon asked.

"Stefan summoned Vicki there. He was trying to show us who kidnapped him."

"Yeah. Nazi werewolves," Vicki added.

"That dead guy was strong and fast enough to take Stefan. He had to be something supernatural. I was hoping you could tell us more."

"Never seen it before. Sorry."

"Why do I get the feeling you're blowing me off?"

"Hagyjon minket egy percre, kedves. _(Leave us for a minute, dear.)_," Damon said to Emma in Hungarian.

"Let's go to the ladies' room, Vicki, and stare at ourselves in the mirror."

"Here's what I know about werewolves: There's a reason their existence has remained a myth to humans for thousands of years. They're territorial, vicious, and pathologically secretive," said Damon once Vicki and Emma left the room.

"Boy, does that sound familiar," Elena retorted

"And here's what I know about you: You're so blinded by your obsession with my brother, you're likely to run through the streets screaming 'werewolf bait,' alerting whoever has Stefan that we're onto them or getting yourself killed."

"You think I'm that stupid?"

"No, I think you're human."

"Don't underestimate me."

"Don't underestimate yourself. Your life is too valuable to throw away."

Meanwhile in the bathroom, Emma was reapplying her lipstick while Vicki leaned against the wall.

"So, Emma, when you're feeding on someone, how do you not kill 'em?"

"Stefan didn't teach you that?" Emma asked, shocked.

"Stefan doesn't want me to feed on people. And now he's gone and..."

"It's in the heartbeat. You feel it in the blood."

"Yeah?"

"And when it slows, you stop."

"Yeah, but how do you stop?"

"I think about crying children with soggy diapers. Also maggots."

"Well, let's say...that you did kill somebody by accident. What would you do with the body?" Emma chuckled. When Elena left the bar with Vicki, Emma discreetly followed the girls and met up with Elena at her house.

"What are you doing here?" Elena asked. "Do you know something about Stefan?"

"Damon lied to you," Emma admitted as she remembered when she and Damon were in Germany in 1945.

_Germany, 1945_

Emma had a female werewolf pinned to the wall of a decrepit house and was intensely interrogating her as Damon watched.

"Wer ist dein Herr? _(Who is your master?)_" Emma asked in German.

"Gib mir dein Blut und ich werde Ihnen sagen. (Give me your blood and I will tell you.)"

"A szent vér, Emma. (The blood is sacred.)," Damon warned. Emma ignored her progeny and fed the werewolf her blood.

"Wer ist dein Herr? _(Who is your master?)_" Emma repeated. With the added strength of vampire blood, the werewolf jumped on Emma, attempting to kill her, but Damon beheaded the wolf.

"Te tanítottál meg, hogy soha ne legyen kiszolgáltatva az érzelmek. Uralni őket. Meg fogjuk találni őt, ígérem. Türelem. (You taught me to never be at the mercy of your emotions. To dominate them. We will find him, I promise. Patience.)," Damon replied as Emma pushed the werewolf's body off her.

_Mystic Falls, Present Day_

"You and Damon were in the SS?"

"We posed as whatever would help us in our search.

"But you were hunting the Nazi werewolves?

"The symbol is runic. This, uh, pack dates back a lot farther than the Nazi Party.

"So they aren't Nazis?

"No, they're much more than that. These are not ordinary werewolves. They're organized, well-funded, highly trained, and fuelled by vampire blood.

"Why didn't Damon tell me that?"

"He was protecting the both of this. This is my fight. Not yours. But the better question is why am I risking everything to tell you now? My loyalty is not to Stefan. In fact, it would be advantageous for me in numerous ways if he were never found. But..."

"But?"

"I owe you."

"When you say you were risking everything to tell me, what did that mean?"

"The goal tonight was to keep you out of danger, not put you in more of it." Suddenly, Emma caught a scent. "Invite me in."

"You can't bully your way into—"

"Invite me in now!" Emma yelled, her fangs present.

"Mrs. Salvatore, will you please come in?" Emma walked into the house and hissed at the wolf inside the house. Elena shot the wolf with a shotgun she kept in the corner, but Emma stepped in front of the bullet, taking a hit. "Emma!"

"Stay back, Elena. Don't shoot him. He knows."

"He knows what?" Elena asked as Emma grabbed the wolf by the neck.

"Who do you work for?" Emma asked as the wolf shifted back into a man. "Who sent you! For the last time: Who is your master?"

"If I tell you, I'm as dead as you are. You might as well kill me now."

"As you wish." Emma sank her fangs into the man's neck, draining him of his blood. "Hmm. It seems I ruined your rug."

Later, Emma had finished burying the wolf in the cemetery next to Elena's house.

"The ground's already disturbed, so no one would think to dig again," Emma said.

"So much for keeping him alive so we could question him."

"Well, that's what I was planning."

"But then you saw his brand."

"Brings back many memories. Unpleasant ones."

"If you'd given me a chance to listen to his thoughts…"

"You have no concept of how dangerous werewolves are. They're virtually silent. They have no fear of death. And when they've had a bit of our blood, their strength can be a challenge. Even for me."

"Thanks for saving my life."

"I'll walk you back."

"Do you know anyone named Lexington? It's the only thing I could make out. Maybe that's the person he's working for."

"Lexington is where he lives. He had a Kentucky accent. Can't you people tell the difference?"

"Oh, my God, he's from Lexington? Do you think that's where Stefan is? Emma, we have to go, like yesterday."

"Damon and I can't. Not yet. The problems of the world consist of more than finding your missing boyfriend. You shouldn't go by yourself, either. These werewolves are looking for you. You're no good to Stefan or to Damon and I if you're dead."

"How can you expect me to sit around when we have a lead?

"It'll be morning by the time you get to Lexington. If you're planning on rescuing a vampire during daylight I have seriously overestimated your intelligence. At least take the day to think it over."

"Fine. I'll leave tomorrow. But I have to go. Stefan would do it for me. I don't expect you to understand."

"I understand very well. Stay out of trouble, Miss Gilbert. It'll do us both a favor."

The next night, Emma was preparing to leave the house to meet Damon at Blood Desire when he called her.

"Yeah?" she answered.

"We're being raided," Damon said.

"Na és? Hívja az amerikai Vampire Liga kapják majd a jogászok rajta. _(So? Call the American Vampire League, they'll get their lawyers on it.)_" Emma said in Hungarian in case any one had tapped the phone line.

"Ez nem a rendőrség. A Magister. _(It's not the police. The Magister.)_"

"Jövök már ott. _(I'm coming there now.)_"

"Ne légy hülye. Hagyja, amíg még lehet. Ők keresik a V, Emma. A királynő meg minket. _(Don't be stupid. Leave while you still can. They're looking for the V, Emma. The Queen set us up.)_," Damon said before hanging up, hearing the magister walk down the stairs to the basement.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are."

"Magister. What a pleasant surprise."

"Oh, there's nothing pleasant about this," said the Magister as one of his guards held up a case containing vampire blood. "This is blasphemy. Take him."

Emma arrived as the Magister began to torture her husband with silver.

"Let him go!" Emma ordered. "I am who you want. But I have been framed."

"'Oh, you've got the wrong man. My dog ate my homework. I saw Goody Osburn with the devil.' Excuses are one thing I can assure you do not get better with age. Do you deny the blood was being sold in this area?"

"Not on mine or Damon's orders."

"Then on whose? Your queen's? What shall it be, Emma? Desecration of the blood or treason against your regent? Both among the most dire of crimes."

"It was my brother! Stefan Salvatore!" Damon yelled.

"It's true. He's gone missing. You've seen yourself how easily he betrays our kind for personal gain. I believe he is behind this, and Damon and I have been gathering evidence to bring him to you. Now let me finish our work."

"They say the loss of a child is the deepest of despair. Two days, Mrs. Salvatore, or he dies. A true death."


	8. The Truth Is I Lied About Everything

When Emma arrived in Kentucky at the mansion of the King, Klaus Mikaelson, she was taken into custody by his guards and escorted into the foyer.

"This is completely unnecessary," Emma told the guards. "I told you I come in peace."

"Have me met?" a beautiful brown-haired female vampire asked.

"Emma Salvatore, wife of the Sheriff of Virginia, Area 3. I've come to see the king."

"Adriana, royal consort. Permit me to facilitate. Klaus! Let her go, you idiots."

"Thank you," Emma said as Adriana showed her to the dining room where Klaus was waiting.

"Emmalyne! What a pleasant surprise! It's been too long!" Klaus said before hugging Emma.

"It's good to see you, Klaus." Emma had known the king of Kentucky through her maker, Elijah. The two had been brothers. Emma had always been uneasy around Klaus though.

"What are you doing here?"

"I need a favor. I humbly request permission to hunt your territory for a vampire missing from my husband's area."

"I appreciate your courtesy, Emma. You always were very old-world."

"Nobody has manners anymore. It was all so beautiful once," Adriana added.

"Your fugitive, what's his name?" Klaus asked.

"Stefan Salvatore. My brother-in-law, and, uh, I'm ashamed to admit it, but he's wanted for selling vampire blood."

"Oh, no, no. That's heinous. Are you sure? Let's ask him," said Klaus as Stefan entered the room.

"Voilà. He's not missing, and he's way too square to deal V," Adriana snapped.

"You tried to pin that on me?" Stefan asked.

"We all know it's your queen behind this, Emmalyne," Klaus said.

"And that you and Damon did the selling for her," Stefan added.

"You see, Mr. Salvatore has accepted a position in my court and therefore keeps nothing from me."

"Oh...you're here of your own accord. Which means..."

"Elena is no longer mine."

"Oh. Your Majesty, I confess. Damon and I sold the blood at my queen's command and I accused Stefan to protect her. So, what do I do now? Unless I give the Magister Stefan, he'll murder my progeny, my bonded."

"Darling, so sad," Adriana said.

"The Magister. Nasty little anachronistic toad, a ridiculous remnant of the Middle Ages. The only power he has over us is the power we give him. There may be a way to solve all our problems. Sleep here."

"You're more than welcome," Adriana added.

"How can I refuse?" Emma said, smirking at Stefan, who grew uneasy at her presence.

Before Emma went to bed, Adriana showed her around Klaus' vast collection of historical objects.

"Ooh. What is this?" Emma said, pulling out a scroll from a cabinet.

"Japanese vampire erotica from the 16th century. Exquisite detail."

"You learn any tricks?"

"Emma, you know as well as I there's nothing new except someone new."

"Well, it's an eclectic collection."

"Oh, you should see what we have in storage. Klaus is a greedy little boy. He wants what he wants and he takes it. He's the same way about people. Watch out."

"And this?" Emma asked, spotting a familiar crown.

"Some random tribal crown. He must have a hundred of them. Uh, this one's, uh, Scythian, I think."

"Hungarian," Emma corrected as she masked her anger. Klaus. He was the one who murdered her family, who took her father's crown. The next evening, Emma woke up to a loud commotion in the foyer.

"Well, guess who turned out to be completely unworthy of our trust," said Klaus.

"What's happened?" Katherine asked.

"He's been hiding something very interesting from us all." Suddenly, Stefan killed the guards and attempted to kill Klaus, but the old vampire was too strong for Stefan.

"Stefan!" Elena yelled.

"Are you serious? I am almost 3000 years old," Klaus chastised.

"Emma, get her out of here, please," Stefan begged. However, Emma did no such thing. She only brought Elena to the king.

"Emma, what are you doing?" Elena asked.

"I wouldn't let go of this if I were you," Emma said to the king. "I don't know what it is, but I do know it's quite valuable. I've not had the pleasure of tasting it, but all my instincts say it would be quite extraordinary."

"I will never, ever forgive you for this," Elena said. Emma then laughed.

"It thinks we're equals."

"Oh, but it's wrong. Isn't it?" Klaus asked.

"Indeed."

"Take Miss Gilbert into the library, Emmalyne. I wanna ask her a few questions," Klaus said before leaving.

"Please tell me you were just doing that for the king's benefit," Elena said as Emma moved her into the library.

"No one plays the king of Kentucky and gets away with it. I certainly have no intentions of trying."

"Why are you even here? I thought you had other things to deal with."

"Yeah, I do, and I need to think. So please don't take this the wrong way, but shut up."

"Emma, please, I'm begging you..." Emma silenced her by placing a hand against her mouth.

"Thank you," Emma sighed.

After Klaus had a talk with Elena, he left the house with Emma in tow, leaving for Virginia.

"What exactly is your relationship with Miss Gilbert?" Klaus asked.

"Well, her lover, Stefan, is my brother-in-law. I kept an eye on her because I knew she was of interest to the queen."

"So no personal attachments?"

"I do not get attached to humans."

"Still, you have to admit. She is quite delectable."

"My tastes lie elsewhere."

"Katherine thinks you killed one of my werewolves."

"I killed a werewolf. I was not aware it belonged to you."

"To save Elena?"

"To save myself. I was at her house to question her regarding Stefan's disappearance, and it attacked me."

"Only a very young and very foolish vampire could be killed by a werewolf. You are neither."

"Only a vampire with no self-respect would allow a werewolf who attacked him to remain alive. They are base, primitive creatures, and I will freely admit that I despise them. You're the only vampire I know who doesn't feel the same way."

"Of course I do. They're more dog than man. Stupider than dogs, actually. But it seems beneficial to me to use them rather than destroy them."

"How exactly do you use them?"

"I give them the blood. Oh, come, now. I know that you yourself have been dealing, so don't pretend to be a vampire fundamentalist. If all the supernaturals would stop squabbling among themselves and unite, we could conquer humans in a matter of days."

"This is your plan?"

"I prefer to call it my dream."

"Well, I like this dream."

"Throughout history, I have aligned myself with or destroyed those humans in power, hoping to make a dent in mankind's race to oblivion. What other creature actively destroys its own habitat?"

"Hey, you're preaching to the choir."

"I mean, do you remember how the air used to smell? How humans used to smell? How they used to taste?"

"I remember everything."

"Preening little fool that he was, Adolf was right about one thing. There is a master race. It's just not the human race."

"Shouldn't we have taken the I-64 exit?"

"Oh, we're not going to Richmond. Oh, don't worry. We'll deal with your Magister problem in time."

At Rose-Marie's mansion, she was on the floor with multiple lottery tickets. She was desperate for money with the IRS breathing down her neck.

"Samantha, go down to the Circle K. Get me a couple hundred more Deuces Wild tickets. Mama's feeling lucky tonight," Rose said.

"Mama couldn't be more wrong," said Klaus, entering the room.

"You killed my guards."

"Only a handful. The rest were surprisingly unwilling to die for you and have defected."

"Samantha?"

"Oh. Your human is safe. I'm not here to needlessly slaughter."

"What do you want?"

"You, my darling Rose-Marie. I want you to accept my proposal of marriage."

"I've turned you down countless times. Why would I accept now?"

"Because in addition to never touching you, I will settle all your debts. Oh, come on. The Magister will eventually determine it was you who was selling our blood."

"I've already pinned it on Damon and Emma Salvatore. Is that really all you've got?"

"Well, uh, ooh, there's the IRS. The American Vampire League will let them put you in prison, make an example of you, assuage the right wing's fears about vampires running Wall Street."

"They have no dominion over me. I'm a queen."

"Please. I have known some of the finest queens who've ever lived, Emma included. You, my dear girl, are no queen."

"Go fuck yourself."

"No, sweetheart," said Emma pouncing on Rose and pinning her to the ground. "You go fuck yourself. Oh and thank you for the compliment, Klaus." Rose struggled against Emma's grip. "Ah, ah, ah. I am older and stronger than you. I only submitted to you in the past because of respect. But you framed my husband and I. So I renounce any and all allegiance to you. I am his now."

"I refuse to grant you..."

"I will rip your head off and throw it in the pool. And I will have fun doing it. Your call. Very well, then."

"Emma," Klaus said. "Rose, yes or no?"

"Goddamn it," Rose muttered.

"Oh, splendid. Hm. Sun will be up soon. We'll spend the day here. We'll stop by Blood Desire on our way back to Lexington," said Klaus as Emma released Rose from her grip.

"As you wish. I hope I didn't overstep any boundaries just now," said Emma to Klaus.

"No, I, uh...I quite enjoyed that. Thank you."

"It is my honor and my duty, my king. I'll make sure your betrothed is properly restrained."

"Samantha! I want my Samantha!" yelled Rose as Emma took her away. While the king slept, Emma brought Samantha to Rose.

"Samantha," Rose muttered.

"Your Majesty."

"I wish you didn't have to see me like this."

"The reason your human is trembling, is because I've let her in on my plan," Emma said as she and the queen suffered through the bleeds.

"Which is?"

"Which is to sink my fangs into her and drink until you tell me what it is about Elena Gilbert that has so obviously piqued your interest."

"Elena Gilbert? I have no interest in her."

"And if I drink too much, well, so be it."

"Fine. So be it."

"Really? You've kept this one around a long time. Must be some reason for that."

"Why do you care about Elena?"

"Because you do. And because my king does."

"Your king? Klaus Mikaelson is the most duplicitous vampire in the Americas, maybe the world. You honestly think you can trust him?"

"Like I can trust you? The only vampire a vampire can trust is the vampire she made." Emma then drank from Rose's human. "Mm, mm, mm. I give her three stars. What do you know about Elena?"

"Nothing."

"Stop. I'll tell you," Samantha muttered.

"Sam, don't."

"The queen's confided in you?"

"Some. But also...Elena's my...my cous...cousin."

"Tell me." Samantha whispered into Emma's ear. "Well, I certainly wasn't expecting that."

When the sun set, Rose, Klaus, and Emma left for Blood Desire where the Magister continued his torture on Damon.

"Enough!" Emma yelled.

"Emma," Damon groaned.

"Mrs. Salvatore. It's only enough if Stefan Salvatore is with you. Is he?"

"No, Magister. But the queen of Louisiana is," said Emma as Rose entered the room.

"Our deal was..."

"I'll confess that you were correct before in suspecting me, but everything I did was at her behest."

"You realize, of course, you're committing treason, throwing your queen under the bus as you are."

"Oh, but she's no longer my queen. My loyalty is to Kentucky now." Damon looked at Emma confused, but she only slightly winked at him.

"And Kentucky's proud to claim Mrs. Salvatore as one of her own. Love the place. Love your vibe. We must talk franchising later," said Klaus.

"Klaus Mikaelson," said the Magister.

"You may call me King."

"Is it true what Emma says?"

"Yes, Magister," Rose admitted.

"Then I'm afraid I'm going to have to arrest you. By the powers vested in me by the authority..."

"The authority?" Klaus asked. "Are you serious? Who are the authority? What gave them the authority? Nothing. No one."

"You okay?" asked Emma as she went to Damon. He nodded in response and Emma kissed him.

"They took it, as I am taking it today. I no longer recognize the authority," Klaus asserted.

"You are aware..." The Magister then turned to Emma who was about to remove Damon's silver chains. "He stays on the table! You are aware that just saying that is a cardinal sin."

"I am aware of just what a tough little boat I'm putting you in. Honestly, it is kind of fun."

"You know I'm beholden by duty to convey your blasphemy to...

"To the authority? Well, that won't be happening. But enough about you. In exchange for the money she owes the IRS, Queen Rose-Marie has kindly accepted my marriage proposal.

"I had no choice," Rose admitted.

"Your Majesty…"

"Yes, my loyal subject? Oh, we would be delighted if you would officiate the wedding for us," Klaus smirked.

"I am forbidden to conduct any rights of alignment unless specifically authori..."

"Unless specifically authorized to do so by the Authority. Yes, well, perhaps you have not quite grasped the subtext of our earlier exchange, but there's a new fucking authority in town!"

"I swear fealty now and always to the one true vampire authority in whose wisdom and justice I..." Suddenly, at vampire speed, Klaus removed Damon's chains and placed them around the Magister. Emma immediately went to her husband as his wounds healed.

"You did well, my love," Damon whispered. Emma smiled and kissed him.

"You pathetic fool," said Klaus to the Magister. "Blindly doing the bidding of others, just like humans. It's vampires like you who've been holding the rest of us back for centuries." Klaus then began to torture the Magister with his own silver cane.

"You can dish it out, but you sure can't take it, can you, Magister?" Damon taunted.

"Let's see how this plays out, Damon. You can always taunt later," Emma warned.

"Can we hurry this along? I'm getting cold feet," Rose complained.

"Of course, my little pudding. This could be so much less painful if you just said the fucking words!" Klaus yelled.

"I am bound by duty to uphold the sacred laws of...

"Ah, ah, ah. Your call," said Klaus as he pushed the stake on the Magister's cane against his heart.

"I hereby pronounce you... husband and wife.

"Thank you."

"Yes, thanks. So happy I could bleed," Rose spat.

"Congratulations, Your Majesties," said Damon.

"Yes, congrats," Emma agreed.

"You realize, of course, the authority will never recognize...

"Its own irrelevancy? That's where you and I differ, Magister. I truly believe they will, and soon." Klaus then tasted a bit of the Magister's blood. "Andalusia, the Iberian Peninsula. Mm. Later 9th century, no? Well, whatever. It's a long enough time for you to have outgrown your blind allegiance to the authority and their rule of law. There is only one law: The law of nature, the survival of the fittest. And we need to take this world back from the humans, not placate them with billboards and PR campaigns while they destroy it! That is not authority! That is ABDICATING authority!"

"Your Majesty. Shall we?" Damon asked.

"We shall. Actually, no. Say hello to the true death," said Klaus as he beheaded the Magister. Rose, Damon, and Emma looked at each other in shock as the Magister's head rolled against the ground.


	9. Drag Me To Hell

When Emma returned to Blood Desire, her clothes stained in blood, she found Damon in his office.

"We need sanctuary," Emma ordered as she stripped out of her dress and into new clothes in Damon's closet.

"What did you do!"

"I slayed a vampire. Klaus' lover, Adriana."

"Are you insane?"

"WHERE CAN WE GO!" Emma boomed.

"A human home would be safe. We both have been invited to Elena's."

"Out of the question."

"You never panic. Should I be panicking?" Damon asked as one of the bar's human employee's entered the office.

"Where do you live?" Emma asked the human.

"Across the river. Why?"

"We need your house. Now," Damon explained.

"Is it because of the V-feds?" Damon walked out into the bar with Emma to see Pearl Zhen with a group of officers.

"Sorry, Miss Zhen. The bar's closed," Damon said.

"Thank you. I already ate. Tru Blood only, of course. You can't stay out of trouble, can you? The V.R.A is two states away from ratification. I should be kissing asses in Oregon, not cleaning up after you in fuckin' Virginia."

"I promise that there is nothing amiss in my area."

"Shut up. You're making my head hurt. Officers, contain them." Emma and Damon were then silvered while Pearl and a few of her lackees searched the bar. "The downstairs is clean."

"I told you there was nothing."

"It's been wiped."

"Well, I'm a Virgo. I like to be neat."

"Your screeching fancushion of a barmaid who's been glamored so much that she can't even remember her own last name, does know that no one ever goes down there with a mop and a promise. Suddenly, it's as sterile as an operating room."

"Doesn't prove anything."

"If only we had a Magister to decide that. Relax. It's not like you killed someone. I just need yours and Emma's official statement. That's all. Webcams for the Authority. Members of the Authority, it's Pearl. Can you hear me? Good. Regarding the matter of the disappearance of our Magister, his last known whereabouts are this dump in Richmond, Virginia. You have before you Damon Salvatore, sheriff of area 3, along with his wife, Emma."

"Let me handle this, Damon," Emma ordered. "Honorable members of the Authority, I have grave news to report to you. I have discovered a pattern over the time I have walked this earth. The Turks told tales of shapeshifting jackals at the fall of Constantinople. The Aztecs were decimated by a disease from Conquistadores' were-dogs. Each time there have been wolves fueled by vampire blood. I almost found him in 1945. His wolves were in the service of the Wehrmacht. He disappeared at the end of the war and I...thought he had finally met the true death. Now he has returned."

"Do you know why?" Pearl asked.

"In times of conflict, Klaus Mikaelson inserts himself into the affairs of man."

"To what end?"

"He claims it's to prevent human from destroying the planet, and themselves, our food source."

"But the Tru Blood changed all that. They're no longer food for us. The Great Revelation..."

"Klaus Mikaelson opposes the Great Revelation. He doesn't want to coexist with humans. He wants to subjugate them."

"The Authority will not..."

"'Fuck the Authority!' Klaus' words. Verbatim."

"This is why he killed the Magister?"

"No, he killed the Magister, because the Magister defied him. He kidnapped Queen Rose-Marie because she refused him. And now, if the Authority or the AVL stands in his way. Well..."

"These are treasonous allegations. Why didn't you report this?"

"I should have. But The Authority has only existed for a few hundred years. My history with Klaus Mikaelson goes back over a millenia. My family was massacred. All of them...by wolves. I managed to kill one. And I watched him change into a man at the end of my blade. And these wolves, they are the same. Hungary...Germany, here. With all respect, I did not report Klaus Mikaelson to you, because I want him to die at my own hands. I've waited since the day I turned for this."

"Yes. Yes, I understand. I'm flying immediately to Portland. Thank you," said Pearl, receiving her orders from the Authority.

"What? Is that it?" Damon asked.

"The Authorities will review Emma's statement against the frankly strong possibility that I've lost an entire night of air time to promote the V.R.A, listening to a load of bullshit. But some do believe in a fair hearing. Americans..."

"Miss Zhen, Klaus Mikaelson is a threat to our very existence," Emma said.

"But he is a king. One who's just donated a half million dollars to the same Vampire American League that you say he is trying to bring down. Weird, huh? Bring in a couple of coffins for Sheriff Salvatore and his wife. You're on lockdown until the Authority makes its ruling." Pearl walked away as Damon and Emma looked at each other nervously.

The next night, Damon woke up to see Emma sitting at his desk.

"Did you sleep at all?" Damon asked, seeing Emma's nose dripping blood. She showed him a rag stained with blood.

"I'm fine."

"The guards still outside?" Emma nodded.

"Damon, whatever the Authority decides, I will not allow you to take any responsibility."

"You didn't kill the Magister."

"But politically I'm a much cleaner scapegoat. Who's easier to pin it on? A vampire who's already incarcerated or a king who might be anywhere? If they search Klaus' palace, they will find the remains of his lover."

"What did she do to you?"

"Nothing. But she was the nearest thing to Klaus' heart. She had to die."

"We've lived through so much, for so long. It can't end this quickly."

"Everything ends. Even the immortal." Pearl walked into the office then.

"You look like shit," Pearl said.

"I feel fantastic."

"The ruling is as follows: the Authority disavows any knowledge of our interview, your statement, or indeed this ruling itself. None of this ever happened."

"What?" Damon asked.

"Missing royals, dead Magisters. It's a political tar baby no one wants to touch, not when the V.R.A is so close to ratification."

"Klaus will not stop killing. What if the human public learns of it?" Emma asked.

"That's why you're gonna take care of it. Quietly, discreetly, and most important off all, completely off the books. You wanted revenge. It's yours."

"What resources are you gonna give me?"

"None. We're not going near it."

"How are you expecting me to kill him? He's older than me."

"Listen, you whiny little bitch, the only link between Rose-Marie, Klaus, and the Magister is you. You brought us this steaming pile of shit, and you're gonna make it go away. Bring me his fangs. Or I'll take yours." Pearl then left.

"What about Elena?" Damon suggested.

"What about her?"

"We know Klaus wants her. Give her to him to save your own skin."

"No."

"He's gonna get her anyway, sooner or later."

"No. I won't do that to her."

"You're choosing a human over yourself, Emma? Over me. You would have said and done anything to save Elijah. If you're not gonna give Elena to Klaus, at least figure out how to use her and fast."

Later that night, Damon was occupied with Elena who had come for a visit, determined to give the old vamp a piece of her mind when Stefan entered the bar. Caroline had come to greet him.

"Elena! Emma!" Stefan yelled.

"They're not here," Caroline smirked.

"Elena's here. I feel her fear."

"Elena came here on her own. It's not our fault you weren't invited. Maybe she's afraid of you."

"Did she say that?"

"I don't think your little fae wants you anymore."

"If you try to keep her from me, I will kill you."

"Get a clue, Stefan. I'm not the enemy."

"I am older and stronger. You are no match for me."

"This is not just about your relationship, you infatuated tween. There's a bigger picture."

"Not for me."

Meanwhile, Klaus was at a museum looking at a picture on the wall, carrying a crystal jar filled with Adriana's remains. A dead guard was lying on the floor when Emma entered the room.

"Adriana adores this one. Adored. I'm having trouble switching tenses. You understand. Why did you do it? Adriana never harmed you," Klaus said.

"You loved her more than anyone. So she had to die."

"I'm about to put an end to your insignificant existence. This is not the time to be obscure."

"Over a millennia ago, you brought your wolves among the Hungarians to butcher a human family. My family. Apparently, you wanted my father's crown for your vast collection of meaningless shit."

"My, my!" Klaus laughed. "To lose the one woman I ever loved because you miss your mommy and daddy? Well, that is a kick in the pants."

"And there are consequences, even for Klaus Mikaelson."

"Life is absurd. Still, I'm excited to destroy you."

"My loved ones are dead, and now Adriana is dead. We're even."

"Don't beg for mercy. It's such a bore."

"I couldn't help but notice you're expanding ambitions. You're after the whole world now, aren't you? Well, I can help you get it."

"Emma, you are nothing more than a lump of muscle with a blood grudge. You got lucky. You couldn't possibly comprehend what I'm after. We should begin," said Klaus, putting down his jar.

"Don't you tire of wearing that daylight ring? I can offer you the sun. No gawdy rings necessary."

"Go on. Spin your little fairy tale."

"I will show you how to do it. Now, tell me you don't want it."

"I never said I didn't want it. No one could stand against me."

"You would be invulnerable. And if I'm wrong...kill me tomorrow."

"Clever girl. To tempt me," said Klaus as Emma's phone rang.

"Not a good time, Damon," Emma answered.

"Stefan helped her escape."

With those words, Emma and Klaus ran at super speed to the road Elena was driving down with Stefan. Her car screeched to a stop as Emma and Klaus stood in the road. It didn't take long for the two old vampires to drop off their prey at the front door of Blood Desire.

"Everything as far as your deficient human eye can see will be mine," said Klaus to Elena

"Pride goeth before a fall."

"Hit me," Emma whispered to Stefan. "Hit me." Stefan punched her and the two began to fight. Klaus pulled Elena into the bar and as the door closed, Emma and Stefan stopped fighting. "I have a plan."

"Will it save her?"

"Yes, but she isn't going to like it."

Once Emma explained her plan to Stefan, she pushed him into the bar and tied him to a post. Elena was sitting in front of Klaus while Damon leaned up against the bar.

"Fairies? You seriously expect me to believe she's fairy? A species extinct for millennia? If they ever existed at all. Do you think I wouldn't notice if there were fairies bouncing around in the world?" Klaus asked.

"I didn't say she was full fairy. She's a human-fairy hybrid, which helps save her from detection. She may well be the last of her kind, your only chance to walk in the sun without your ring."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," said Klaus, skeptically.

"Drink her blood. You'll see."

"Now, that's just nuts. Nothing in my blood is a supernatural sunscreen for you. Why would you even think that?" Elena exclaimed.

"Elena, you're wrong. What Emma says is true," Stefan explained.

"No!"

"I never told you."

"Stefan's experienced it for himself," Damon added.

"Oh, well, that's reassuring. A testimonial from the mendacious Mr. Salvatore."

"A new beginning? We'll start over?" Elena asked Stefan.

"I can't force you to believe it. You'll have to see for yourself," Stefan said, ignoring Elena.

"Why are you doing this to me?"

"We've tried fighting him. We'll never win. If he develops a taste for your blood, he may let you live."

"Stefan, please."

"So?" Emma prodded.

"I'm intrigued."

"Excellent."

"I hate you. I hate you all," Elena spat.

"On one condition."

"Whatever you like," Emma said.

"You go first."

"I'd love to."

As the sun began to rise, Damon dragged Emma aside.

"Don't do it. What if it doesn't work?" Damon pleaded.

"Oh, it'll work. Don't worry. You aren't going to lose me. I promised forever, didn't I?" Emma kissed him and then turned to Klaus. "Shall we?"

"Let's," Klaus returned.

"One caveat. If you drain her completely, that's the last fairy blood you'll ever drink," Stefan said.

"Good point!" Emma smirked.

"Onward to adventure!" Klaus laughed.

"If this is you trying to help me, thanks for nothing," Elena glared at Stefan. Suddenly Klaus bit Elena's wrist and Emma took her neck. Once Elena fell unconscious, Emma walked outside into the sun, her ring tucked into her pocket as a security measure in case the blood didn't work. Klaus wasn't aware of this, however.

"It's fairies. Fucking fairies. Who knew?" Klaus said as he watched over a camera monitor.

"What are you waiting for?" Damon asked. Klaus then left the room and walked outside into the sun, overjoyed.

"Oh! It's glorious. It's sublime." He turned to Emma and she swiftly handcuffed her arm to his with silver manacles. "Ah! Silver, you traitor."

"Be brave. You will now die at my hands," said Emma as Klaus' face began to blister.

"Fucking silver. Your father deserved it, you know."

"Just as you deserve this."

"All I wanted was a couple of goats for my wolves."

"You slaughtered my entire family for a couple of goats?"

"Your father was a self-important, greedy little pus, and he got what was coming to him." When Elena woke up, Stefan told her what was going on and she ran outside to save Emma, who was starting to become delirious from the silver manacles.

"Emma, this is just stupid," Elena chastised.

"Go away."

"I won't let you do this."

"Sweetie, please. Use your gift," Klaus said.

"I don't know how."

"Yes, you do. Don't think about it. Don't try. I will not surrender to the true death. I will find a way to come back and kill Emma and her husband and your brooding Mr. Salvatore and anyone you ever cared about, and all because you didn't use your fucking power!" Elena then zapped the manacles about. "Well, it's about fucking time. Now drag me the fuck inside."

"You watch your fucking language." Elena then helped Emma into the bar.

"Get this damn thing off of me," Emma said as Damon pulled out the key from her pocket. "Where's Klaus?"

"Outside," Elena answered.

"We have to bring him in."

"Are you insane? Why?" Stefan asked.

"Elijah appeared to me when I was unconscious and asked me to spare Klaus."

"You are insane," Stefan muttered.

"You want me to go get the guy who wants to kill us all and bring him inside? Really?" Elena asked.

"Emma, do the world a favor and let that little fuck fry," Damon said.

"Fine. I'll go out there myself."

"Oh, for the love of God." Elena walked outside the bar and pulled Klaus inside.

"Thank you, Miss Gilbert," Klaus said.

"Shut up," Elena spat as she tied him to a pole.

"I've called a friend of mine. He should be here any minute now to take care of this vermin," Emma said as a young man entered through the door. "Hello, Mason. Your truck out front?"

"Yup."

"Stefan, let's go. Got a lot to do. Damon, watch over the fairy."

"Feel safer protecting myself, since I now know I'm basically vampire crack. By the way, I rescind the invitation to my house for all vampires present. So don't even think about following me home."

Later at an empty lot, Mason was talking to Emma.

"We're done now, right? My dad's out of debt. You leave him and my family alone." Emma nodded and Mason left.

"Just kill me, Hungarian. Take your fucking revenge," Klaus spat as concrete was poured over his body.

"That was the original plan. Then I was thinking, how do I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that you won't find some sort of peace afterwards? I can't bear the thought of you finding any redemption."

"Wrapped in silver, encased in concrete. You won't be going anywhere for at least a hundred years," Stefan added.

"A hundred years, that's nothing to me. That's a nap."

"That's a hundred years with no escape from your grief. No escape from knowing I took what you love most and you will never get it back."

"A hundred years during which you will go mad. Madder even than you are now. And you are as mad as a fucking hatter," Stefan muttered.

"A hundred years for me to plan exactly how I'm gonna kill you both!" Klaus yelled.

"Have fun," Emma smirked as she poured more concrete over Klaus.

"You make me bleed, my child. So much hatred," said Elijah's ghost.

"This is who I am, Elijah. This is what you made!"

"Do you not see that she is the one who is mad? Speaking to phantoms?" Klaus asked.

"All I can see is how utterly powerless you are knowing that you're about to be buried alive. And honestly, it's a thing of great beauty," Stefan smirked.

"You will regret this."

"Maybe. But right now, it feels fucking good," said Emma.

"When fate presents one with such a grand opportunity, what else is one to do?" Stefan said as he pushed Emma into another hole and poured concrete on her. Having stolen her phone, he made a phone call and imitated Emma's voice. "It's Emma. I want you to find my progeny, Damon, and kill him. Now. Take care of Caroline as well."

That evening, Stefan approached Elena who was sitting on the swing of her house.

"We must talk," he said.

"Come in."

"Klaus is gone."

"Thank God for small favors."

"Emma as well."

"What?"

"I ended her."

"Why?"

"She tasted you. She knew what you are. Even if we are to go our separate ways, I will make sure that you are safe."

"But Emma would never..."

"Elena, most vampires are not like me. Even if holding themselves back occurred to them, they would probably not be able to. I'm not taking any chances. I intend to bring the true death to all that have tasted you and know what you are."

"Klaus, Emma..."

"Damon, Caroline, the queen, and any who discover it in the future. I will do anything to keep you safe, even if it means me not being a part of your life. This I swear to you. I have never loved, nor will I ever love, as I have loved you."

"Did you tell her you were originally sent by the Queen of Louisiana to procure her because of what she might be?" said Emma, appearing on Elena's porch, covered in concrete.

"What?" Elena asked.

"I did not know why she wanted you. As I grew to know you, I purposely kept you from her," Stefan admitted.

"Were you ever gonna tell me?"

"I hoped to someday. I swear it."

"What about you letting two psychos beat her within an inch of her life so you could feed her your blood the night you met? Think she'll forgive you for that?" Emma smirked.

"Oh, my God. Is it true?"

"Yes."

"He tried to silence me tonight so you would never know. He doesn't wanna protect you. He only wants to protect himself."

"Get out of my house. Don't ever come here. Don't ever call me. Don't ever talk to me. Ever. You manipulated me into falling in love with you!"

"It is who you are, Elena, not what you are, that I love, and will love always, until I meet the true death."

"Love! You don't even get to use that word. I rescind my invitation."

"No!" Stefan yelled as he was thrown out of the house by an invisible force.

"I want my phone back, Stefan. And you owe me a new dress," said Emma.

"You too. Get the fuck off my porch and out of my life!" Elena yelled.

"For the record, I would never have given you to Klaus. I'm sorry to see you suffer like this, but I thought you had the right to know." Emma then disappeared in the wind, arriving at Blood Desire in a matter of minutes. Damon had just stepped out of the employee shower.

"Did you kill him? Please tell me you killed him, because I will never get all the cement out of my hair," Damon muttered.

"I gave him a much worse punishment."

"Ruben tried to kill me, by the way. I took him out."

"Oh, great. On top of everything, we're out an assassin."

"I have zero patience with that shit." Swiftly, Damon appeared in front of Emma and picked her up bridal style, kissing her.

"Damon, I'm dirty."

"Well, then we'll just have to get you clean then won't we, my Hungarian princess?" Emma giggled as Damon took her to the showers, both unaware what the future had in store for them.


	10. Are We All Forgotten

One year had passed since Elena had left for the realm of faeries. During that time, an older and stronger vampire, Markus Sforza, had killed Rose-Marie and in a matter of hours, he became the new king of Virginia. However, his one objective in gaining the throne of king was to obtain his former lover and vampire sister, Emmalyne Petrova. Emma despised Markus with a passion and Damon tried to protect her from him as much as he could. Emma's history with Markus went back over five hundred years. Markus had stalked Emma as a human in Austria during the 1500s, but he soon realized he'd need an eternity to pursue his beloved. He befriended Elijah and convinced him to turn him, although, his transition into a vampire did not endear him to Emma. She despised him even more for tricking her maker and threw him out of their house after Elijah released him, thinking maybe he'd fall on his own stake.

Markus' persistence for Emma's companionship was obvious the first day he walked into Blood Desire. Emma and Damon had been making out on the sofa in Damon's office when Caroline burst into the room.

"What!" Damon yelled, annoyed Caroline had interrupted them.

"Markus the Idiot King is here," Caroline said, a little bored.

"Keep him occupied. We'll be there shortly," Damon growled. He hadn't met Markus personally, but from the stories Emma had told him, he knew he wasn't going to like his new king one bit.

"Christ, that Markus. Always the wet blanket. Well, we better go out there," Emma muttered, smoothing out the wrinkles in her dress.

"We? There's no _we_. I'll take care of it."

"Damon, Markus isn't going to be satisfied until he sees me. We haven't seen each other for five hundred years. This moment was a long time coming. Once I put him in his place again, he won't bother us. I promise," said Emma as an increasingly worried face appeared on Damon's face. "Hey, what's with the furrowed brows? Don't worry. I'm yours, only yours." She kissed away Damon's worry and they walked into the bar, Damon's arm possessively wrapped around Emma's waist. Damon was confident Markus would know that Emma was his as their scents were perfectly intermingled.

"You honor us with your presence, Your Majesty. Did you come to speak with me on a certain matter?" Damon asked a tall, sandy brown-haired man with piercing green eyes.

"You must be Damon. I actually came to speak with Emmalyne, Sheriff. You are looking lovely as always, sister." Shivers ran up Emma's spine as Markus addressed her.

"Why don't we go speak somewhere away from prying eyes, _brother_," Emma said, motioning to a table in the far corner of the room.

"Emma," Damon warned.

"Ne aggódj, drágám. Emlékszel? Én vagyok a tiéd. (Don't worry, darling. Remember? I'm yours.)," said Emma as Markus smirked, sure that Emma was telling her progeny to mind his own business. "Shall we, your Majesty?"

As Emma and Markus sat at a table, Damon leaned against the bar, tuning in his enhanced hearing to their conversation.

"Let's cut the crap, Markus. I have better things to do than talk to you. I am Damon's wife, his maker, and his _bonded_. Do you know what that means? It means that if you try to harm either of us, you will face the True Death."

"Darling, you know you still love me," Markus argued. As his hand rose to touch her cheek, Emma grabbed it and twisted his wrist.

"Do not touch me! I am much older than you. I could snap you like a twig and you know it. You need to leave, Markus."

"Emmalyne."

"That's enough," said Damon, appearing instantly at Emma's side. "Emma asked you to leave. I suggest you follow her wishes or I will kick you out of this bar myself."

"You dare speak to your king that way!" Markus yelled. Emma and Damon only laughed at Markus' proclamation.

"Do you want to tell him or should I?" Damon asked Emma. She only shrugged in response. "Markus, can I call you Markus? Let me make one thing clear. You're only king of Virginia because Emma and I permitted it. We could take this whole state if we wanted to, but I have no desire to be king. It's too much red tape to be honest. But let's say for a moment, I sought the throne. At the end of the day, you'd be a mound of ashes that I would sweep under the rug like dirt. Are you catching my drift, Sforza?"

"Your words border on treason, Damon."

"And? My resources in this state are beyond your wildest dreams. I could overthrow your new regime if you like? However, I won't if you leave my wife alone. She is mine, _my bonded_. And I don't like sharing what's mine."

"I'm quite surprised by you, Emma. The last time I saw you, you enjoyed the hedonistic pleasures of life and now you live among these vermin. I can provide more for you than your so-called bonded ever has. I am King of Virginia."

His rage blinding him, Damon grabbed Markus by the throat and even though Markus was older than, he couldn't remove himself from Damon's grip. Emma's blood was most certainly potent.

"Damon, engedje őt. _(Damon, release him.)_"

"Azt nem lehet komoly. _(You can't be serious.)_" With a stern look from Emma, Damon finally yielded to Emma's request.

"Now, I'm only going to say this once so listen up, you little shit! I don't give a fuck that you're king or that you have money! Because I sure as hell can guarantee that Damon's wealth exceeds yours…two-fold. Money aside, you don't know anything about Damon and you don't know anything about us." Making sure she got her point across, she grabbed Markus by the throat and slammed him into the bar, snarling. All the vampires in the club were shocked by Emma's behavior and were eyeing the exits in case things grew bloody. "You do not want to ruin my time with Damon or I'll hurt you! And you know I can do it! Now get out before I tear your fucking head off!"

"You always were feisty. I will heed your advice and take my leave, _neighbor,_" said Markus, standing up. He knew when to pick his battles and picking a fight in a bar in which many vampires loyal to Damon frequented was not a good idea. He wasn't suicidal.

"Neighbor? What the fuck's that supposed to mean?" Emma asked.

"Oh, you didn't hear? I just bought the mansion across the street from you. I thought it'd make a suitable palace for the King of Virginia. See you at the next block party." As Markus left with a smirk, Emma's body shook in anger and her fists clenched so hard she drew blood.

And that was how it started. Every night Markus would send roses for Emma to the bar. In return, Emma would cut them up and send them back to Markus. Emma felt like she was constantly fighting the King's advances. She was sick and tired of it. Tonight, Damon and Emma had taken a night off from the bar to spend some quality time together. As Damon pushed Emma onto the couch in the library, kissing her, his phone rang.

"Don't answer it," Emma said in between kisses.

"I have to. It could be the king," Damon groaned.

"Fuck the king." Emma sighed as Damon pulled his phone out of his pocket. When he accepted the call, she pushed him off her roughly, causing him to land hard on the floor.

"Hello?" Damon said roughly as Emma stomped into the kitchen, muttering several Hungarian curses along the way. "Can this wait? I'm in the middle of something. Fine. I'll be there in fifteen minutes." Damon grimaced as he shoved his phone in his jeans pocket and walked to the kitchen. He could sense Emma was angry in their bond and he became even more worried when he saw Emma down an entire blood bag.

"You promised," Emma muttered, seething.

"I know. I'm sorry," said Damon, hugging Emma and stroking her hair.

"Let me come with you."

"No," Damon answered immediately. "Markus sees enough of you as it is. Let's not tempt the beast."

"Damon," Emma whined.

"I was going to give you this later, but I think now is an appropriate time," Damon said as he pulled an oval shaped gold locket out of his pocket and gave it to Emma. She opened the locket to see an inscription reading 'Yours for eternity,' "This was my mother's. I've been thinking for a while about giving it to you. I'd love it if you'd always wear it."

"It would be my honor," said Emma as Damon removed her blue necklace and replaced it with the locket.

"I'll hurry back as soon as possible. I promise." He placed a kiss against Emma's forehead and headed for the door. He was surprised to see Emma blocking his way.

"That's not an appropriate good-bye kiss," Emma said before pulling him in for a kiss filled with passion and heat.

"You're going to make me late, you naughty girl."

"Maybe you'll punish me later?"

"You bet your ass." And with those words, he left the house in a flash. Emma sighed, knowing the rest of her night was ruined. However, she decided to make the best of it and go shopping instead of lounging around the house.

At Markus' mansion, the King was sitting in his office, speaking with Pearl Zhen on his landline phone.

"Markus, if I've told you once, I've told you a thousand fucking times. There's nothing the Authority or I can do concerning Damon. Because Emma and Damon are bonded, they are untouchable unless they commit some horrendous crime. I don't know what your problem with Salvatore is anyway. He's an excellent Sheriff, very efficient and with Emma as his co-Sheriff, very powerful. Virginia's area 3 has won best-ran area at the Summit every year. You should be glad you have such a useful resource at your disposal. Don't bother me with this again. I have other problems like cleaning up this Klaus Mikaelson debacle." She then hung up on the King. To say Markus was pissed would have been an understatement, but he tempered his rage when Damon entered the room.

"Thank you for coming, Sheriff," Markus greeted.

"Of course."

"I understand Emma isn't attending the Summit next month. Is there any chance I could convince you to bring her?"

"No. So we're good?" asked Damon, turning around. He wanted to get back to Emma as fast as possible.

"There's a new coven in town."

"Oh no. Witches. I'm shakin' in my boots," Damon mocked.

"They're based out of a Wicca shop not far from here. Called Moon Goddess Emporium."

"I'll put Caroline on it."

"You'll do it yourself! They're necromancers, Damon." Damon then turned around to face his king, his concern apparent on his face. "They brought a bird back from the dead."

"Are you certain of this?"

"I had someone on the inside. I hope I don't have to impress upon you the implications of this."

"You do not."

"If they can control the dead, they can control us. Now will you deal with this yourself or is it still beneath you?"

"Has the AVL signed off on this?" Damon asked, curious.

"I am the King of Virginia! I don't have to ask anyone for permission."

"I will go tonight, my king."

"Thank you, Sheriff." As he walked away, Damon slightly laughed. However, Markus knew he would have the last laugh. He had visited the witch in question earlier and had paid her to curse Damon. Later that evening, Emma was driving down the street, several shopping bags in her trunk, when she witnessed a man walking down the street. She slowed down and eventually parked after she recognized the figure clad only in dark blue jeans.

"Damon! It's me! What are you doing out here?" Emma asked after exiting her car.

"Who are you?" Damon asked quietly.

"You know damn well who I am. It's Emma."

"You know me? Who am I?"

"Of course I know you, Damon."

"Damon is my name?" he asked as Emma grew more and more puzzled by the second.

"Why are you out here?"

"I don't know that either."

"You don't remember anything? You know you're a vampire, right?"

"Yes."

"What was the last thing you remember?"

"I don't know. Eyes. Empty, cold eyes. They were reaching into me, emptying me. She was in a circle, chanting. Everything I was…it was taken from me."

"Kibaszott boszorkányok. _(Fucking witches.)_ Get in the car before you freeze. I'll take you home."

When she got home, Emma had sat Damon down in the living room and set his dirty feet in a dish of water. As she went to retrieve a rag from the kitchen, she called Caroline.

"Blood Desire, this is Caroline."

"We have a serious problem. Damon's home and he doesn't remember anything. Did he call you after he visited the king?"

"Is he…damaged?"

"Mentally."

"Do you think he could pose a threat to you?" Caroline was as concerned for Damon as she was for Emma.

"I don't think so at the moment. It seems to be a matter of memory."

"I hate witches. Humans had the right idea, burning them at the stake. I'll be over in a minute." After Caroline hung up, Emma busied herself with washing Damon's feet.

"You are really beautiful," Damon murmured as he gazed at Emma.

"Thank you," Emma smiled as Caroline came in.

"Who are you?" Damon asked.

"Fuck! What's the last thing you remember?" Damon was silent. "You have to hide him! He's in danger!"

"What the hell is going on?" Emma asked.

"A few nights ago, we heard at Blood Desire that a group of witches had arrived in Richmond. Damon didn't want to worry you. You have enough on your plate with King Markus the Ass."

"What was their purpose in coming to Richmond?"

"They said they wanted to take over Damon's businesses, but I believe Markus set Damon up and sent him to that coven in Richmond knowing it was a trap. It wouldn't be the first time he tried to get rid of Damon. He'll use this as an excuse for the AVL to assassinate him. I know he wants to."

"No one is touching Damon, Caroline. I can promise you that. Just bring me those witches' heads."

"What about Markus?"

"We'll deal with him in time. Our first priority is getting Damon back to normal." After getting Damon settled into their room, Emma went downstairs to read a book. A few hours later, she walked up to Damon's room to see him still awake.

"You've been quiet. This isn't like you," Emma said, sitting on the bed. Even without the blood bond, it was obvious he was depressed. Emma had never seen Damon look so dejected.

"Yes it is."

"No, it's not. The real Damon…"

"I am real," Damon interrupted.

"Yes. You are," Emma reassured him. "I meant the Damon with his memories. Not much gets him down. Sure he's a rascal and a troublemaker and most of the time I'd like to slap the smile off his face…" _Or make out with him till I'm breathless_, Emma thought, "But he's a happy vampire." It was obvious Emma's words weren't cracking through Damon's depression. "I wish I knew what to say to make you feel better."

"You think I'm weak."

"No."

"You want the Damon that doesn't feel."

"It's not that."

"If you kiss me, I promise to be happy."

"No," said Emma, shaking her head. Ever since she called Caroline, Emma promised herself she wouldn't tell Damon they were married or bonded. She didn't want Damon to feel obligated to love her in his fragile mental state.

"Why not? You've had my blood. And I yours. I can feel it."

_Fuck, _Emma thought.

"Are we—have we been—lovers?"

"Something like that," Emma finally admitted. Damon took her hand and kissed it.

"Will you stay with me?"

"I don't see why not," Emma sighed. Damon curled up against Emma, resting his head on her lap.

"How did we first meet?" Damon asked as Emma stroked his hair.

"It was a long time ago. You didn't like me at first, but one thing led to another."

"Have I been good to you?"

"Very. You've taken very good care of me. Better than anyone ever did. Maybe even better than my maker. And now it's my turn to take care of you. Try and get some sleep."


	11. I Get Around

When Damon finally fell asleep, Emma rose from the bed and put on her daylight ring. She left the house after ordering the were guards to watch the house and make sure no one entered, not even the King. Emma was known not only for her age, but her powerful mental abilities. She figured she could help expedite the search for the witches if she used her powers at Blood Desire. Maybe she could receive a vision or pick up on an aura.

When she arrived at a large gray building labeled Club Blood Desire in big, red neon writing, she noticed the parking lot was abandoned. She wasn't surprised considering it was daylight out. Most vampires didn't have daylight rings and those who did were told by the Authority to only use them in dire circumstances. In order to give humans a sense of security, the public was not aware that vampire daylight rings existed. Emma chuckled to herself when she saw the writing underneath the bar's sign: 'Richmond's Premier Vampire Bar.' About three months ago, a group of vampires from New York attempted to run a rival bar downtown and one night they were never seen again, their building razed.

Emma pulled up around the employee entrance and was shocked when she saw that the dead bolt had not been locked. She twisted the doorknob and the door opened. This was bad. Emma's senses were at full alert as she walked down the administration hallway and heard a moaning noise. Emma opened the door to the storeroom and was bombarded by the smell of vampire blood and shifter. She saw Kelly, one of the club's bartenders, on the floor in a strange contortion.

"Kelly. Kelly, can you hear me? It's Emma. Are they still here? The people who did this to you."

"Emma. Oh thank God. Tell Master Damon we tried to hold them off."

"Who'd you try to hold off?"

"The witches. They came in last night after we'd closed, after Caroline and Isobel left. Just Ben and I."

"What did they want?" Emma asked.

"They wanted to know where we put Master Damon. They seemed to think they'd done something to him and that we'd hidden him. Oh my legs," Kelly moaned.

"But you didn't know so you couldn't tell them."

"I would never betray our master."

"Was anyone here besides Ben, Kelly?" Emma asked after calling 911 to get some medical attention for the poor girl. "What's wrong with your legs?"

"They made the muscle in the back of my legs pull up, like it was half as long. It's like one of those giant cramps you get when you're pregnant."

"Where's Ben?"

"In the bathroom. He's dead. The witch who spun the spell. She said her name was Bonnie. She told me she was as strong as a vampire, too. I know Master Damon will kill her when he returns."

"He sure will," Emma muttered. "Kelly, I have to go because I don't want the police to keep me here for questioning. Please don't mention my name. Just say a passerby heard you, okay?"

"Where's Master Damon? Is he really missing?"

"I have no idea. I have to get out of here."

"Go. We're lucky you came in at all." Emma then left and stopped by Mason Lockwood's construction office. Mason was a were in the service of Damon and a friend of Emma's.

"Emma, good to see you. What are you doing out in the daylight? I thought that was…forbidden."

"I have a bit of a problem, Mason. There's a bad witch coven in Richmond. From what I can tell, they drink vampire blood and at least a few of them are shifters. It's going to take weeks for me to get the smell out of the storeroom. Supposedly, they're moving into Richmond to take over Damon's financial kingdom, but I think Markus hired them. They put a curse on Damon, taking away his memory. They raided my bar and put some kind of spell on two of my bartenders. One of them's in the hospital."

"The other?"

"Dead. Damon's under guard at my house and I have to get back before dark to take care of him. I thought your packmaster should know about the witches being shifters."

"I'll make some calls, Em. Do you know what the witches shift into?"

"Weres."

"Ooh. That's bad." At that moment, Mason's packmaster answered the phone. "It's Mason. I'm sorry to bother you when you were busy in the yard. Something important's come up. I need to see you as soon as possible. Yes, ma'am. With your permission, I'd like to bring the vampire co-sheriff of area 3 with me. Thank you, ma'am." Mason then ended the call. "Let's go. How's Damon doing?"

"Well, Damon doesn't know he's Damon," said Emma as they walked to Mason's truck.

"He doesn't remember his identity?"

"Nope. He doesn't remember his character either, apparently."

"That's a good thing." Mason had never liked Damon. While Emma could appreciate Damon's dark sense of humor, his mischief, his single mindedness, and his flair, Mason had no tolerance for any of the above.

When they arrived at the home of Jules Grierson, the packmaster, Mason explained why he had brought Emma with him.

"Emma has some information that she shared with me. It's very important. She needs to relate what she knows to you."

"And why do I need to listen?" Jules asked. It was obvious she didn't trust vampires.

"I wouldn't have brought her if it wasn't important."

"Let's hear your story, vampire." Emma quickly relayed all the pertinent information to Jules. "Where is this coven staying?"

"I don't know. I was hoping your pack could help me with that."

"We'll send trackers to Blood Desire to see if they can pick up a scent. Everything I've heard is making me rethink something odd that happened last night. Brady didn't come to the planning committee meeting."

"That's not good," Mason muttered.

"Brady has been chafing against the pack leadership for some time," said Jules to Mason. "I had hoped, when he got elected my second, that he'd consider that concession enough. A new regime might appeal to him. If the invaders learned anything about our pack, it's Brady they'd approach."

"I don't think Brady would ever betray the pack, no matter how unhappy he is with the status quo," Mason replied. "But if he didn't come to the meeting last night and you can't raise him by phone, I'm concerned."

"Go check on Brady while I alert the pack to action if Mrs. Salvatore wouldn't mind."

"Jules, Emma is not a pack member and she shouldn't have to shoulder pack responsibilities. She has her own troubles and she's gone out of her way to let us know about a big problem we didn't even realize we had. We should have known. Someone in our pack hasn't been honest with us."

"You're right about that. Thank you, Mrs. Salvatore, for taking the time to tell Mason about our problem…which we should have known. And I think you're right, Mason. One of us must have known about the presence of another pack in the city."

"What are your trackers going to do? Damon is currently unavailable so as of right now I'm the authority for area three," Emma said after she left Jules' house with Mason.

"They'll go to Blood Desire and try to follow the scent trail the witches left there. That'll take them to the witches' lair. If they lose the scent, maybe we can call in help from the Richmond covens. We'll collaborate with your husband's progeny, Caroline, as well if we feel the need."

"At Blood Desire, I'm afraid any scent might be obscured by EMTs. And just so you know, Bonnie has contacted all the witches hereabouts already. I talked to a Wiccan before I left my house this morning. She'd been called in to Richmond to meet with Bonnie's bunch."

"This is bigger than I thought, but I'm sure the pack can handle it."


	12. Everything I Wanna Do

Two days later, Emma received a phone call from Caroline.

"Tonight we attack the witch and her coven. The Weres have persuaded the local Wiccans to join us. If you and Damon want in on the fighting, meet us at 714 Parchman Avenue."

During the drive to the address, no words were exchanged between Damon or Emma, but Emma could tell Damon was trying to hold his excitement in.

"Excited?" Emma asked.

"There's nothing like a good fight," he replied.

"That depends on who wins." Emma could feel the magic encasing the street and pulled down a street a few blocks away. Caroline had sent Emma a text saying they would be in a dark van on Vanderbilt Street. Emma easily spotted the van and knocked on the door. Isobel opened it and let the two older vampires in.

"We expected you earlier," Caroline said.

"Hi, good to see you too, thanks for coming on such short notice," Emma mocked. Caroline only rolled her eyes.

"Let's lay this out, shall we? Thanks to the Were tracks, we know the location of the witches' residence. We'll infiltrate the neighborhood slowly. The witches have already broadcast a lot of magic in the area so there aren't too many people out on the streets. Some of the Weres are already in place. We won't be so obvious."

"What about an invitation?" Emma asked.

"Not necessary."

"The house is a foreclosure. We want you to provide a distraction like you did in Santa Barbara 1942."

"Ah. 1942. Good times," Emma reminisced.

"Emma, what would you like us to do with all the witches once we get inside?"

"Kill them all. Except Bonnie. She has to undo Damon's curse."

Emma then left Damon with Caroline and sped to the front of the house. She could feel that the house was pulsing with magic. Good thing she was half witch, on her mother's side. Emma had never realized her magic stayed with her until a certain mob in Santa Barbara tried to torch her. She didn't use it in public because it was too dangerous for others to know about, but she considered this situation to be an exception to the rule.

"Oh, Bonnie! You can come out now. We know you're in there." There was no response. "Fine. Play hard to get. More fun for me."

Emma closed her eyes and focused on the electricity running through the street lights. The lights began to flicker and when Emma's eyes opened suddenly, a burst of lightning shot through her hands and vaporized the door. Emma could hear screams in the house and that moment was when the vampires and Weres chose to strike.

"Now where do you think you two are going?" Emma asked as two witches escaped the house.

"Please, don't." However, their pleas were heard on deaf ears as Emma extracted their hearts effortlessly. When she entered the house, the violence escalated and the battle soon ended as quickly as it had begun. The wounded were tended to and the bodies were disposed of. Caroline and Emma had both agreed it would be best to burn the house to the ground with the witch coven inside. To Emma's horror, Bonnie had been killed in battle. A Were had taken away the witch's life. Emma was angry, but she was also filled with despair. Her Damon would never return to her. He would only be a shell of the man he once was. Unable to stomach the scene before her any further, Emma ran at vampire speed back to the house. She ripped her bloody clothes off and took a shower, crying bloody tears and holding the locket Damon had given to her tightly. She laid in the shower for hours, crying her heart out. For a hundred forty-five years she had lived for one man…and he was gone. Just like that. Taken away by supernatural wannabes. Fucking witches. They always screw everything up.

When Emma left the shower, having cobbled her broken heart back together, she pulled on an Italian silk wrap dress and walked to the kitchen. She was in need of blood. As she pulled a blood bag out of the refrigerator, she dropped it when she felt a tug at her heart. She was overwhelmed by feelings of love and gratitude. She sensed a presence outside and opened the front door, almost ripping it off its hinges. Damon was waiting outside, a slight smile on his face.

"Mondtam, hogy bejöttünk, Emmy. _(I told you I'd return, Emmy.)_" Damon said in Hungarian. It was the first time Damon had spoken in Emma's native tongue since he'd been cursed.

"How?" Emma gasped.

"The Richmond witch coven determined that if I drank the witch's blood, the curse would be broken."

"You're back?" Emma whimpered.

In a flash, Damon held Emma in his arms. "I'm back, baby." And then his lips were on hers. They stumbled into the house pulling each other's clothes off and running into walls. Emma felt like she was dying as Damon's distinctive scent of amber and sandalwood besieged her. It was intoxicating. As she pushed Damon against the wall leading to their bedroom, his hand brushed her inner thigh up to her clit.

"Oh, Damon!" Emma cried as she wrapped her legs around him and he thrust up into her.

"God, you're so tight," Damon growled as Emma rode him. Their releases were almost instantaneous, but they were nowhere near done with each other. They fell into their bedroom and onto the bed. "How much farther can you go?"

"As far as you want. Give me all of you."

Hot, wet skin slapped together as they panted in sync with each other. Their hunger for each other knew no bounds. One of Damon's hands threaded through Emma's wavy hair while the other pulled her leg tighter around his torso, pushing her so close to him she could have sworn they had melted together. He pushed in deep holding her hips firmly against him. Her inner muscles started to convulse around him and he could feel the muscles in his stomach start to tighten.

"I could take you for days," Damon growled as he stilled inside Emma, knowing it would drive her mad.

"Don't tease me," she moaned, wanting more of his delicious torture. She was insatiable when it came to Damon.

"Say it and I'll end it all," whispered Damon, licking up her neck.

"Damon…"

"Say it!" He wanted her to wholly submit to him. If there was one thing Damon knew, it was that in the bedroom, he was king.

"Oh, God. Fuck me, Damon! Lick me! Take me hard and fast! Do whatever you want to me! I'm yours! I don't care. Just fucking set me on fire."

"Well, who am I to refuse such a gorgeous woman. I love it when you talk dirty to me," Damon purred, thrusting hard into her.

"Oh, don't stop!" Emma screamed wrapping her arms around Damon's neck, her hands threading through his hair. Damon growled, nipping every inch of skin he could access from this position. Emma's walls wonderfully clamped around his dick as she fell into the sensual tempest of devastation that was Damon.

"Faster! Harder!" she begged as the bed rocked.

"You'll be the death of me, woman!" Damon shook, thrusting harder and harder into her tight channel.

"That's it. Oh, that's the way I like it." In that moment, all Emma knew was that she desired this sexy as hell man more than anything. She needed him, hungered for his touch. Damon's movements grew more erratic and Emma screamed her lover's name in ecstasy as she hit the brink of destruction and pleasure.

Damon shattered with passion as he pushed her into the mattress, thrusting hard, begging his body for its own completion. He licked her neck, taking in her scent of jasmine, honey, and lilies one last time before plunging over the cliff leading to pure, unadulterated bliss. Shouting her name, Damon fell on top of her, every last drop of his energy gone, as his seed shot through her. Exiting her warm cavern, he rolled over and they both fought to regain their breath.

As they basked in the afterglow of their joyous union, the sheets chaotically covering them, Damon looked in her eyes, eyes that he could lose himself in forever. He towered over her on his elbows and swept a tangle of dark hair away from her flawless face. Knowing no words could describe the emotions swirling inside her, Emma took his hand and kissed the inside of his wrist.

"You'll never leave me, right?" Damon asked.

"Never. I'll stay with you forever."

"Forever is a very long time, love."

"Not long enough." A playful smirk appeared on Damon's lips and he rolled over so that Emma was straddling him. He entered her again and as Emma rode him, they gave into their carnal desires throughout the course of the night.


	13. Heart

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries or True Blood, only Emma and Markus. ****There is SMUT. If you don't like it, don't read it.**

* * *

Two weeks had passed since Damon had regained his memory. He had been swamped with work ever since. As he waded through residency requests and various e-mails, Caroline entered his office.

"Yes, Caroline?" Damon asked, not looking up from the stack of documents on his desk.

"Emma's going to the Summit."

"What! I told Markus she wasn't going."

"Well, evidently she made other plans. She just called and told me to tell you she was going. I'll close up if you want to handle this." Angrily storming out of his office to his car, Damon called Emma.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Damon said when Emma answered the phone.

"Tell you about what?"

"I'm not in the mood for coy, Emmalyne! The Summit, damnit!"

"Hey! You need to calm the fuck down! It's not like I had a choice!"

"Of course you had a choice! I had taken care of it!"

"Yeah, until Markus called the Authority, whining like a little baby. They've ordered me to attend the Summit to preside over a few hearings. It's a load of crap. Markus is the Authority's new poster child so they're going to do everything in their power to appease him." She heard Damon growl on the other line. "This isn't all bad if you think about it."

"What are you planning?" Damon asked, suspicious.

"Like every other year, the Ancient Pythoness will be in attendance. Isobel has been doing some digging. She's found evidence that links Markus to the witch coven that cursed you. I'm going to bring this evidence to her court."

"Doesn't that border on treason?"

"Because it's a crime against a bonded pair, it doesn't matter. This may be our only chance to get rid of Markus, Damon."

"Alright. Fine, but you stay with me at all times. You know how dangerous Summits are."

Three days later, Emma and Damon along with their entourage consisting of Caroline, Isobel, and a few other area vampires arrived at a private airport in Richmond. The other sheriffs and Markus had been waiting inside the plane. Markus shot Damon a look of loathing as he witnessed how enamored Damon and Emma were with each other when they sat down.

"You're late," Markus spat.

"You can't rush perfection, Your Majesty. Besides, we got a little side-tracked," Emma giggled.

"Fucking cunt," Markus murmured. Emma's mouth dropped open as Caroline growled and Damon shot at Markus, wanting to rip the king open with his bare hands. However, the king's guards attempted to restrain him.

"Damon, stop!" Emma yelled. However, her words were lost to him as his rage consumed him. Thinking fast on her feet, Emma grabbed one of Markus' guards by the throat.

"Put me down!" he choked out.

"I don't think so. I suggest the rest of you remove yourselves from my bonded or I tear this man's throat out!" Emma boomed. The guards around Damon slinked away to their seats. Emma then focused on her bond with Damon, pushing love and tranquility through it.

"Damon, ő csak úgy viselkedik, mint egy elkényeztetett gyerek, mert nem lehet velem. Ne beszennyez a kezét ilyen mocsok. _(Damon, he's only acting like a spoiled child because he cannot have me. Don't sully your hands with such filth.)_" With a growl, Damon removed himself from the king and walked back to Emma and kissed her forehead.

"As you wish, dearest."

"Now that that's settled, everyone's going to sit the fuck down and try to not say anything insulting for the next four hours we're on this godforsaken death trap. Got it?" Emma spat. Everyone nodded in return and Emma and Damon sat in their seats. "I work with children."

As the plane began to take off, Damon took Emma's hand in his and kissed it. Planes had always made Emma nervous. She could never understand how a small metal tube could fly in the air. She closed her eyes as she wrapped her arms around Damon's left arm and rested her head against his shoulder. Damon kissed Emma's forehead and ran through the multiple options he had if the Summit turned bloody. However, he yearned for it not to come to that.

After the plane landed and they arrived at the hotel, Damon and Emma immediately headed for their suite, desperately needing some time away from Markus and the other vampires.

With reckless abandon, Emma's lips crashed into his, her hands carding through his onyx hair. He groaned at the taste of her as he frantically tried to keep up with the motions of her tongue and lips. Emma smiled when Damon pushed her against the wall and kissed down her cheek to her neck. Their hips ground together as Emma removed Damon's jacket. At vampire strength, she ripped at Damon's shirt and unbuckled his pants. She needed skin. She craved for the taste of him as she kissed and licked every inch of him.

"Shit, Emma. Do you know what you do to me?" Damon growled, his hips bucking, as she stroked his rock hard cock. Emma loved the reactions she evoked from him.

"The same thing you do to me every night," Emma whispered hotly into her lover's ear. Damon didn't think he could get any harder, but he was proven wrong.

"God, Emma!" Damon groaned as he pulled Emma roughly to him in a hungry kiss. Emma further encouraged him with her tongue and Damon turned her around, her back pushed into his chest, and ripped the rest of her clothes off.

"Yes," she muttered, her lust for Damon devouring her. His mouth blazed down her neck, licking and biting. Emma felt like she'd combust when he roughly pushed her front into the wall.

"You drive me fucking insane," Damon growled. Emma cried at the intensity of Damon as he roughly caressed one of her breasts with one hand and cupped her sex with the other. Yes, this was what she wanted. They both started to pant as Damon fondled her clit. Emma moaned and arched at his touch. "I do like your fire, lover, but you all submissive is even better."

Emma moaned Damon's name as he slid a finger inside her and then two more at once. She was so tight and wet it nearly drove Damon to the brink as his fingers thrust in and out of her.

"Say it," Damon groaned.

"Oh, I'm yours," Emma moaned, her blood devastated by the pleasure Damon wrought.

"Tell me what you want," said Damon, smirking as he pressed himself against her back.

"Take me. Ruin me. Do whatever you fucking want with me. Just make me yours."

"With pleasure." He quickly twisted her around and pushed her onto the bed, following her soon after. Before she even knew what was happening, Damon stabbed her womanhood with his hard cock. They both gasped at the feeling.

"Oh, God, yes!" Emma screamed as Damon rocked against her. Damon slowly and steadily thrust into Emma's core. It was glorious. It was like heaven and hell all at once. Feeling her walls constrict, he pulled Emma's leg over his shoulder and kissed her without restraint.

"Don't stop, oh don't ever stop," said Emma, feeling her climax quickly approaching. Emma didn't know how many more thrusts it took before her entire world exploded, her whole body shaking with a pleasure so intense she forgot everything about herself. If you asked her for her name, all that would come out would be a garbled mess. When they collapsed, Damon stayed inside her, wanting to relish the intimacy.

"I would do anything for you," said Damon, drawing circles on Emma's back. "You know that right?"

"I know and I would do the same for you." Emma kissed him and laid her head against her chest. She fell asleep almost instantly.

* * *

**Please review!**


	14. The Day Is Coming

"We welcome you all to this year's vampire summit in Rhodes!" said Pearl Zhen in Conference Room A. All the vampire monarchs, their sheriffs, and humans had gathered in the room. "The Authority is ecstatic to see you all and looks forward to the events to come. Events and meetings are listed in the agenda, which was delivered to your room. Trials and hearings of course will be held at this summit and we encourage you to watch the proceedings if time allows. Please welcome yourself to the refreshments available and enjoy this year's Summit."

As Damon and Emma walked to the buffet table, a stout, young vampire stopped the couple.

"The Honorable Ancient Pythoness requests your presence in her chamber, Mrs. Salvatore." Emma knew exactly what AP wanted to speak with her about.

"Make sure Markus is kept busy. I'll be back as soon as possible." Damon nodded in response and Emma was taken away to a secret floor of the hotel and the Ancient Pythoness' chambers.

"It has been a long time since I have seen you, old friend," said a blind woman, looking out the window of her suite.

"I agree, AP. It's good to see you. You seem to be doing well in your old age."

"I could say the same about you. You must introduce me to your new man. He sounds absolutely delightful."

"It would be a pleasure."

"I want to speak with you about the charge you're bringing about against your king."

"I suspected as much."

"This is a dangerous road you're taking, dear. Should the Authority not agree with my verdict, they could place someone even more volatile in Markus' place."

"I know of the risk, but I will no longer tolerate Markus' offenses to my bonded. The law we vampires have concerning those rare few who are bonded is sacred to us and Markus stomps on it like a petulant child."

"You feel quite strongly about this."

"You and I…we've lived for a long time. You have found joy in the visions you've received over the millennia. I, however…my only happiness during the time I've walked this earth has been when I am with Damon. He is everything to me. He is why I continue to exist and I will be damned if I'll let anything get in the way of my happiness."

"Determined as ever I see. After your trial, we will bring the case to court. I can assure you, Emma, the case will be fairly heard."

"Thank you, Ancient Pythoness."

"Will you mind if I observe your trial? It has been so long since I have seen you back in the saddle."

"It would be my pleasure. I need to change clothes for the proceedings, so I shall meet you there. My bonded will be in attendance as well." The Ancient Pythoness nodded and Emma then vacated the room, heading for her suite. To Emma's annoyance, Markus was waiting by the door.

"You went missing," he stated.

"The Ancient Pythoness requested my presence. Contrary to what you may think, my life does not revolve around you, your Majesty. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to change into something more suitable for the trials." Markus nodded his head in assent and then left.

About a half hour later, Damon met Emma at the doors to one of the conference rooms in which the trials were being held. Emma was wearing a blood red dress and tall black heels. She was a vampiric vision. Emma's arm was tucked in the crook of Damon's elbow as the doors opened.

"And the judge for this trial, The Supreme Queen, Emma Salvatore, escorted by her bonded, Damon Salvatore." As the humans stood in awe as Emma entered the room, the vampires in the room kneeled. Emma nodded her in head in acknowledgement of the vampires and took a seat in a throne-like chair centered in the middle of the room. Damon sat next to the Ancient Pythoness in the crowd.

"Following the traditions of the vampire race, I call you all to witness the trial of Sophie-Anne Leclerq, Queen of Louisiana, on the charge that she murdered her signed and sealed spouse, Peter Threadgill, King of Arkansas. I call the lawyers for the two parties to be ready to present their cases," Emma stated sternly.

"I am ready. I am Simon Maimonides and I represent the bereaved state of Arkansas."

"I am ready. I am Johan Glassport and I represent the bereaved widow, Sophie-Anne Leclerq, _falsely_ charged with the murder of her signed and sealed spouse."

"Let's hear your case then, Henrik of Arkansas."

Henrik's case was long and ardent and full of accusations. Boiled down, he testified that Sophie-Anne had married the king of Arkansas, signed all the usual contracts, and then immediately began maneuvering Peter into a fatal fight.

"And now, your Excellency, there are only a handful of us left in the whole state. She, who killed my king and his lieutenant Jennifer, she has offered me a place with her. And I was almost weak enough to accept, for fear of being rogue. But she is a liar and she will kill me, too."

"She doesn't want to kill you," Emma heard a human voice mutter. "Tell us who told you that and we'll know who killed Jennifer Cater, because—"

"Woman, be silent!" Emma ordered. "Who are you and what right do you have to intrude on these solemn proceedings?"

"I don't have any right in the world, your Excellency, but I know the truth."

"Oh, then I have no role in these proceedings, do I?" Emma smirked. Damon chuckled. "Why is it necessary for me to give my own verdict then?"

"I may hear the truth, but I don't have the juice to get justice done."

"Then come tell me what I must do," said Emma sarcastically.

"Henrik thinks that the queen decided to have him killed. He was told that so he would testify against her in self-defense."

"The queen didn't decide to have me killed?" Henrik asked.

"No, she didn't. She was sincere in offering you a place."

"You're probably lying too. You're in her pay, after all."

"Perhaps I might have a word?" Emma asked sharply. The room became silent. "Are you a seer?"

"No, ma'am. I'm a telepath."

"You can read minds? Vampire minds?"

"No, ma'am. Those are the only ones I can't read. I pieced all this together from the lawyer's thoughts."

"All this was known to you?" Emma asked Simon.

"Yes. I did know that Mr. Feith felt he was threatened with death."

"And you knew the queen had offered to accept him into her service?"

"Yes, he told me she said so."

"And you did not believe the word of a vampire queen?"

"I felt it my duty to protect my client, your Excellency."

"Hmm. Sophie-Anne Leclerq, it is your turn to present your side of the story. Will you proceed?"

"What Sookie has said is true. I offered Henrik a place with me and protection. When we get to call witnesses, your Excellency, you will hear that Sookie is my witness and was there during the final fight between Peter's people and mine. Though I knew that Peter married me with a secret agenda, I didn't lift a hand against him until his people attacked on the night of our celebratory feast. Due to many circumstances, he didn't get to pick his best moment to go after me, and as a result, his people died and most of mine lived. He actually began the attack when there were others there not of our blood. It has taken me all these months to be sure the accounts were hushed."

"In the time since that night, you have suffered many other losses," Emma noticed.

"As you say, I've had many losses—both in terms of my people and in terms of my income. This is why I need my inheritance from my husband to which I'm entitled as part of our marriage covenant. He thought he would inherit the rich kingdom of Louisiana. Now I will be glad if I can get the poor one of Arkansas."

"Shall I call our witness?" Johan Glassport asked. "She's already right here and she was witness to Peter's death."

"That shall not be necessary. I have already made my verdict. Sophie-Anne Leclerq, Arkansas is yours by vampire law and now yours by right. I declare you innocent of conspiring to murder your husband. Now Henrik, your safety is assured. Who has told you lies?"

Suddenly, Damon saw a flash out of his eye. A wooden arrow was heading straight for Emma. Running, he tackled Emma to the floor and the arrow imbedded itself in the wood of her chair. Another arrow was slung which killed Henrik immediately. Caroline immediately made her way to the assassin and killed him.

"Are you alright?" Damon asked. Emma nodded as Damon helped her up.

"Well, that was interesting," Emma said. "Arkansas and Louisiana, you are dismissed unless you would like to remain for the trial of the King of Virginia."

"What?" Markus asked, standing up. "What trial?"

"Oh, did we forget to tell you, your Majesty? You are on trial for the attack of a bonded couple." All the vampires in the room gasped. Murmurs began to filter through the room.

"Silence!" yelled the Ancient Pythoness. "As judge for this trial, I will not tolerate any interruptions. King of Virginia, step forward. The Authority and I have personally reviewed the charges the Supreme Queen accuses you of. Emma, would you like to state your case?"

"Yes, your Excellency. Ever since the arrival of our new king, Virginia has been in a state of chaos. The king pays no attention to the affairs of the state, only his whims. He is determined to make me his own, to come between my bonded and I. At first, it was harmless. Flowers on the doorstep, presents. But two weeks ago, he made a financial agreement with a coven of witches. He paid them a large sum of money to curse and then kill my husband."

"What sort of curse?"

"They emptied him of all his memories. Thankfully, Damon's vampire instincts kicked in. He escaped the coven and came to the call of my blood. I took care of him and the witch coven. It wasn't until recently that I discovered Markus financed the witches' endeavors. Not only has Markus committed a crime against my progeny, against my bloodline, he has violated one of our most sacred laws. The Law of the Bonded. I humbly request that Markus' punishment be the True Death."

"And who shall take Markus' place as king?" asked one of the Authority members.

"I will take the position as Queen of Virginia." Whispers spread throughout the conference room.

"What? Emma?" Damon whispered. They hadn't spoken at all about Emma taking back the mantle of Queen.

"One day I knew I would have to come back to the fold. It disgusts me to see how Markus has run the territory of Virginia. It would be my honor to bring it back to its former glory."

"This is acceptable," said another member of the Authority. "Emma shall take the position of Queen of Virginia."

"How preposterous! I have violated no laws," Markus spat.

"Silence, vermin!" the Ancient Pythoness announced. "Supreme Queen, Sheriff, I have not heard of a case this horrifying in centuries and the Authority has agreed to make an example out of Markus. Guards, issue this filth the True Death." In an instant, two guards were upon Markus and he was staked.

When Emma and Damon left the conference room, they immediately headed for their room. As Emma sat on the couch of the suite, Damon fixed her a stiff drink.

"Are you sure this is wise?" Damon asked, sitting on the couch.

"It was the only way to protect us. The Authority has a habit of making bad choices when it comes to monarchs. This way is best. I told you last night, didn't I? I'd do anything for you."

Damon smiled and kissed her. When they separated, he pulled her into his arms and as she looked into the fire, a bit of excitement stirred inside Emma. It had been so long since she had reigned as Queen. She knew there might be more dangers along the way, but she also knew that if Damon stood by her side, they would survive.

THE END


End file.
